The Green Bay Packers saw quite a few roster changes during the free agency period ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
The team saw cornerback Jaire Alexander and running back AJ Dillon leave in free agency, as well as center Josh Myers and offensive tackle Andre Dillard, among others.
In turn, they spent some money by signing cornerback Nate Hobbs to a four-year, $48 million deal. They also signed guard Aaron Banks to a four-year deal worth $77 million.
Both of those moves look to be questionable amid the regular season. Hobbs was benched in October, and Banks has also not played well and has missed time due to various injuries.
Banks was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but he cashed in big time in what was labeled as a “high-priced deal” at the time.
Entering Week 11, Daniel Popper of The Athletic regraded some of the free agent signings, and the Banks deal received a failing grade.
The Aaron Banks Signing Still Does Not Make Sense
At the time, paying that much money for Banks was a questionable decision by Green Bay.
Pro Football Focus labeled Banks as an “overpaid” free agent when the contract was announced, and now, Popper questions the deal.
The initial grade in the offseason was a C+, but Popper has now given the Banks deal an F grade.
Banks has been the starting left guard for Green Bay, but injuries and inconsistent play make this deal look even more puzzling.
Packers Facing Plenty of Offensive Line Questions Going Forward
For starters, the crushing injury to Elgton Jenkins is a tough blow for the Packers. Looking ahead to 2026, Jenkins could be released for financial reasons, and both Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan are free agents going into the offseason.
Moreover, the costly price tag of Banks makes things tricky for Green Bay. Jon Meerdink of Acme Packing Company even expressed concern going forward due to the Banks’ signing.
“That leaves the Packers almost no choice but to build around Banks for the next couple of years, putting an expensive liability at the center of their offensive line plans during what should be a window of Super Bowl contention,” Meerdink wrote.
“This is a problem the Packers literally can’t afford. Banks’ performance is hindering the offense the Packers want to run, and his contract will hinder their roster building in the future,” he added.
At this point, both the Hobbs and Banks signings from the past free agency period look like massive misses.
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