The Green Bay Packers made a significant financial commitment by signing veteran offensive guard Aaron Banks during the first wave of 2025 NFL free agency. However, analysts are already questioning whether they overpaid for their new starter.
According to Over the Cap, the Packers signed Banks to a four-year, $77 million contract, with $27 million fully guaranteed—an unusually aggressive move for the team. This deal places Banks among the six highest-paid guards in the NFL, surpassing even Packers Pro Bowl guard Elgton Jenkins in annual salary.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) sees the contract as excessive. The analytics site had projected Banks to sign for about $13 million less and graded the deal as “below average,” even ranking him among the five most overpaid free agents of 2025.
“The positive side of this deal is that Banks is coming off a career-best 65.4 PFF grade in 2024 and has shown steady improvement,” PFF noted on March 17. “However, making him the sixth-highest-paid guard in the league is a big gamble. The Packers are counting on his continued growth.”
Packers Taking a Risk With Banks’ Signing
While skepticism about the signing is understandable, it remains to be seen whether the Packers’ $77 million investment will pay off.
On the positive side, Banks brings experience, having started 43 games at left guard for the San Francisco 49ers over the past three seasons. He also posted career-high win rates as a run-blocker (69%) and pass-blocker (91.7%) in 2024, according to ESPN Analytics. Additionally, his cap hit for 2025 will be a manageable $9.03 million.
However, concerns exist. Banks has shown inconsistency in pass protection, particularly under pressure in big games. He has also struggled to stay on the field, failing to play all 17 games in a season since becoming a full-time starter in 2022. In 2024, he played just 71.83% of offensive snaps.
Beyond 2025, his contract becomes even more expensive, with cap hits of $24.85 million in 2026, $22.25 million in 2027, and $20.75 million in 2028. If he performs well, the cost may be justified, but the deal carries considerable risk.
Impact on Packers’ Draft Strategy
The signing of Banks could also influence Green Bay’s draft approach, particularly in how they construct their offensive line.
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reports that the Packers might move Jenkins from left guard to center to replace departing free agent Josh Myers. If that happens, Banks would take over at left guard, while Sean Rhyan and 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan compete for the right guard spot, strengthening the unit’s depth.
With Banks in place, the Packers may focus their draft picks on other positions, such as adding an offensive tackle to back up Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom or selecting a center to develop for the future.
If the Packers land another promising lineman in the draft and Banks proves to be a solid investment, this move could look much smarter in hindsight.
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