The Green Bay Packers signed former San Francisco 49ers guard Aaron Banks in free agency,
The Green Bay Packers went 11-6 last season, sweeping the NFC West and the AFC South along the way.
Overall, though, no one in the building was happy.
The Packers failed to build on their terrific finish to the 2023 campaign, settled for the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, and lost a Wild Card game to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.
Afterwards, general manager Brian Gutekunst turned up the heat on everybody in the building.
“We need to continue to ramp up our sense of urgency,” Gutekunst said. “I think it’s time we started competing for championships.”
Those are fair expectations.
The Packers return 20 of 22 starters, and appear to have upgraded the roster via free agency and the draft. With several third and fourth year players trending upward, Green Bay should be poised to make a move.
“I think they’re ready,” Gutekunst said.
Now, it’s time for the Packers to prove their G.M. right.
Green Bay’s first training camp practice is July 23. Between now and then I will count down the ‘30 Most Important Packers’ heading into the 2025 campaign.
At No. 13 is left guard Aaron Banks.
No. 13
Aaron Banks, LG
Last season
According to Pro Football Focus, Banks allowed just one sack in 775 snaps last season. PFF also had Banks ranked 39th out of 136 guards in run blocking, 77th in pass blocking and 50th overall.
Banks allowed 25 pressures and four hits, and also had five penalties.
Banks missed a pair of games last season with a concussion. Then he missed the final two games of the year with an MCL injury.
The Packers liked what they saw, though, and gave the 27-year-old Banks a four-year, $77 million deal in free agency. That made Banks the sixth-highest paid guard in football.
Career to date
Banks was a second round draft pick of San Francisco in 2021 (No. 48 overall). Banks appeared in 53 games for the 49ers and made 43 starts over the last four years.
Banks sat most of his rookie season, became a starter in 2022 and was a staple of the 49ers’ line ever since.
Banks has earned rave reviews for his size, strength, and power in the run game. His pass protection can get choppy at times, though, against athletic inside rushers.
Outlook
Green Bay ranked fifth in rushing offense last season at 146.8 yards per game. The Packers also ran the ball more than they threw it for the first time since 2003.
The arrival of Banks could mean Green Bay’s run game will be even better.
Banks will slide into left guard, while Elgton Jenkins — who has 67 career starts at that position — will move to center. Banks will then take over at left guard.
That duo weighs a combined 640 pounds and should give the Packers more beef in the run game than they had last year when Josh Myers was at center and Jenkins played left guard.
They Said It …
“Aaron’s played at a high level for a long time. He brings a little bit of veteran leadership, you know? He played for a good offensive line, a really good football coach in San Francisco, so little things like that that he can help the details of the game, things that he’s seen while he’s played compared to some guys who’ve only played a few snaps here and there.” — Packers offensive line coach Luke Butkus on Banks
“Obviously a really large man that can do all the things that Matt asks those guys to do in our scheme as far as our ability to get off the ball quickly, get out in space and really run. Again, this isn’t a 295-pound man. This is a 330-pound man. His ability to play physical in the run game and anchor down in the pass pro is something where he’s played at a high level for a few years now, and to get a guy like that really in the prime of his career is something I thought would really benefit us.” — Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst on why he signed Banks
“I think I bring physicality. I think I bring leadership and experience, being that I’ve played a number of playoff games. I’ve played a lot of football, and in a similar scheme. So, I think just a veteran presence but also still young.” — Banks on what he can bring to the offense
THE TOP 30
• No. 29 — WR Dontayvion Wicks
