The Green Bay Packers headed into NFL Free Agency with a clear need to upgrade the interior of their offensive line. That's why they spent big on guard Aaron Banks. Unfortunately for GM Brian Gutekunst and his staff, they will regret splashing a mountain of cash on the former 49ers star.
The Packers reeled Banks in with a four-year, $77 million deal. The deal included a $27 million signing bonus and a further $27 million in guarantees over the life of the agreement. Green Bay was forced to make Banks the sixth-highest guard in the NFL to pry him away from San Francisco.
The idea of dipping into free agency to spend big on an interior lineman made sense for the Packers. They smartly let center Josh Myers depart in free agency. That decision was made with the intention of moving Elgton Jenkins to the middle. Jenkins' move left a large opening at guard for a Green Bay team that harbors legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
The team's lack of depth at guard was laid bare in their playoff loss to the Eagles. Travis Glover was completely unable to compete against Philadelphia's pass rush. The Packers had to make a big move in the draft or free agency to solve their issues up front.
Aaron Banks is already a potential regret for the Packers
The problem with the Banks signing is that he was nothing more than an average offensive lineman for San Francisco. His play is trending in the right direction, but there's nothing to indicate that he's going to blossom into a star anytime soon. The Packers should have set their heights higher if they were going to offer such a robust contract in free agency.
In fairness, Banks' status as the sixth-highest guard in the NFL will not last long. Contracts for interior lineman are on the rise and free agent acquisitions always require a premium. Green Bay might have made Banks the biggest offer he received on the open market but it's highly likely that he had a host of other suitors who were willing to offer him similar deals.
The one potential saving grace for the Packers is that former first round pick Jordan Morgan is still looming on the team's depth chart as a second-string guard. If Banks fails to live up to his massive contract he could find himself on the bench. That would require Morgan to be more healthy than he's ever been but he does possess the requisite talent to be a difference-maker at guard.
At best, the Packers should hope that Banks continues his development and plays like an above-average starter in 2025. That won't justify the money they spent on him in free agency, but it would serve to upgrade the team's offensive line. That would be a victory of sorts for Green Bay in free agency.