The 49ers weren't likely to re-sign Aaron Banks anyway, but there's now a glaring hole with the left guard heading off to the Packers.
The San Francisco 49ers have already lost a number of key players in the opening waves of NFL free agency, including All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga and swing tackle Jaylon Moore.
Now, they're losing starting left guard Aaron Banks.
Banks, who wasn't expected to be a Niners re-sign priority this offseason anyway, is heading to the Green Bay Packers on a new free-agent deal, first reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:
It’s a 4-year, $77M deal. 💰 https://t.co/JhXekpHMIO
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2025
According to the well-known insider, it's a four-year deal worth up to $77 million.
Banks was poised to cash in this offseason, given the relatively few options for interior offensive linemen on the market. Paired with San Francisco's reported approach of trimming costs this offseason, retaining Banks didn't seem like a high priority.
Plus, there's the notion head coach Kyle Shanahan has typically overlooked guards while placing a higher priority on tackles and centers.
What do the 49ers do with Aaron Banks gone?
In a less-heralded move earlier this offseason, the 49ers re-signed backup lineman Ben Bartch, who impressed in limited duty late in 2024 before suffering a season-ending injury.
Bartch figures to be the primary beneficiary of Banks' departure, and he's currently the likely favorite to earn the starting job, barring any notable moves along the O-line's interior between now and training camp.
In the long run, Banks' new deal certainly qualifies for a compensatory pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which will at least make the 2021 second-round pick's choice to leave the Niners a bit easier to swallow.
For now, San Francisco has to hope Bartch is the right fill-in.