The Green Bay Packers raised concerns when they announced that left guard Aaron Banks was going to start training camp on the physically unable to perform list.
After all, they are relying on Banks to stay healthy and bounce back this season.
But just one day after the news dropped that Banks landed on PUP, the Packers had an encouraging update.
The Packers activated Aaron Banks back from the PUP list before Day 1 of training camp
On Wednesday, the Packers activated Banks and defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse from the PUP list. On a related note, offseason pickup Brenden Rice landed on the non-football injury list.
Before cutdown day, clubs can activate players from the PUP list at any time, unlike the regular season. The catch is that they still count toward the 90-man roster limit even when they're on the PUP list.
Circling back to Banks, Bill Huber of Packers On SI reported that he didn't practice with the team but did individual drills. This is where you can take the "half-full, half-empty" approach.
On the one hand, he's missing valuable first-team reps, which isn't ideal when you take into account that Jordan Morgan and Sean Rhyan are slated to start at left tackle and center, respectively. Offensive linemen need time and practice to gel, and not having Banks in the huddle certainly hurts.
On the other hand, rushing Banks back could be counterproductive, and the last thing Green Bay wants is to see him deal with injuries like he did in 2025.
The Packers need Aaron Banks to step up
Banks doesn't appear to be at risk of losing his job. Then again, the Packers could get impatient at some point if he fails to bounce back after an injury-marred season. And that's the thing: The former Notre Dame Fighting Irish simply wasn't good last year.
Per Pro Football Focus, Banks gave up two sacks and 28 pressures on 887 offensive snaps in 2025. He wasn't much better as a run blocker, posting a PFF grade of 56.3.
How long are the Packers going to wait for Banks? At some point, they'll want to see a return on the $77 million investment they made in 2025. The fact that he's practicing, albeit on a limited basis, is a step in the right direction.
The end goal is for Banks to be ready for the opener against the Minnesota Vikings to ensure Jordan Love has the best possible protection. For that to happen, he will need to keep making strides in his recovery. He has his work cut out, but the fact that he was off PUP on Day 1 of training camp was a good start.
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