The Green Bay Packers made a big-time splash along their offensive line in free agency, and this investment may end up being a failure. Already dealing with a back injury this offseason, Aaron Banks is not exactly inspiring a ton of confidence that he can be a stable, long-term starter along the interior for the Packers.
Green Bay signed him to a four-year, $77 million deal, which comes out to over $19 million per year. Not only is he one of the highest-paid guards in the NFL, but he does bring a troubling injury history to the team.
And if Banks continues down that road, the Packers are not going to see a notable return on their nearly $80 million investment. Perhaps the San Francisco 49ers were right to let Banks depart in free agency. Even with the Niners' shaky offensive line play at times, they didn't want Banks back enough.
Aaron Banks could end up being a dud of a signing for the Packers
Banks was a second-round pick back in the 2021 NFL Draft and has never played a full 17 games in the NFL. In fact, he's dealt with small but concerning injuries in the past like knee sprains, a toe injury, a concussion, an MCL sprain, and now this back injury
Heading into the 2025 season, the Packers are looking to take their game to the next level and finally emerge as a legitimate contender in the NFC and a favorite to win the division. While Banks could end up being just fine heading into the season, the injury history is not something to scoff at, especially since it has continued into 2025 offseason.
Furthermore, his PFF grade in 2024 really wasn't all that special. He graded out with a 65.4, which ranked just 50th among 136 qualified guards. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has clearly struggled to find those truly elite players that help turn teams into contenders, as the Packers are littered with "good not great" players.
Banks was signed to be a great player, but it might only be a matter of time before this major investment fails.
The Niners probably dodged a bullet here by not investing further into Banks.