The Green Bay Packers hit two home runs in 2024 free agency with the signings of Xavier McKinney and Josh Jacobs. In 2025, however, they’ve completely whiffed on guard Aaron Banks.
Banks arrived from the San Francisco 49ers after starting 43 games from 2022 to 2024. He was a steady, if unspectacular, presence—best known for using his massive 325-pound frame to create running lanes.
The issue wasn’t so much Banks’ résumé as it was the deal. Green Bay gave him a four-year, $77 million contract that raised eyebrows immediately.
The ripple effects only made things worse. The move shifted Pro Bowl guard Elgton Jenkins to center, a position change he resisted after thriving at left guard. It also made Banks the fifth-highest-paid left guard in football despite entering free agency as an average-at-best starter.
The Packers viewed it differently: with Josh Myers gone in free agency, they saw an opportunity to shuffle their line and secure a proven veteran guard. And with the salary cap continuing to rise, they believed Banks’ contract would look more reasonable over time.
So far, it hasn’t.
Aaron Banks Signing is a Total Whiff So Far, But There's Still Hope
Four games into his deal, the signing already looks like a massive misstep. Banks holds the lowest PFF grade on the team at 38.3, ranking 74th out of 77 eligible offensive guards. His run-blocking hasn’t been the road-grading force it once was, and his pass protection has been just as shaky.
The silver lining is that health may explain much of his slow start. Banks battled a back injury during training camp and nagging ailments that carried into the regular season. He’s appeared in only two games, missing Week 2 and Week 4.
Sitting out Week 4 gives him a rare three-week break between games in the middle of the season. That reset could be crucial for a player trying to find his footing in a new system.
Nobody expected Banks to become an All-Pro. But the Packers did count on him to be far better than this.
With the offensive line already reeling—Zach Tom sidelined by a potentially long-term injury and everyone else struggling—Green Bay desperately needs Banks to stabilize the left side. The run game has left a lot to be desired and he could be the catalyst that sparks it.
If rest and recovery get him back to form, the Packers can play their preferred lineup on the left and lean on backups to patch the right tackle spot. For now, that R&R is Banks’ clearest path to turning things around—and to making this contract look less like a costly mistake.