On Monday, the Green Bay Packers and former San Francisco 49ers guard Aaron Banks agreed to a four-year, $77 million deal. He should be a starter at guard, but that depends on whether Elgton Jenkins moves to center. If Jenkins shifts inside, Banks should play left guard; otherwise, he lines up on the right.
Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker are entering the final year of their rookie deals, and the Packers may be unable to sign both long-term. Jayden Reed and Tucker Kraft will be eligible for early extensions in 2026, and Green Bay may want to lock up at least one of them early.
Among Green Bay’s many offensive line questions, Banks’ signing likely signals that Jordan Morgan will take over as the franchise’s left tackle in 2026.
Green Bay originally drafted Morgan to play left tackle, but he began his career competing for the right guard position. In 2024, he played 120 snaps at right guard and 65 at left guard. In 2024, he played 120 snaps at right guard and 65 at left guard. He appeared in six games, with one start, before the Packers placed him on injured reserve in November with a shoulder injury, ending his season.
The Packers and the media seem to believe in Morgan. Pro Football Focus identified him as an early breakout candidate for the Packers in 2025.
Starting center Josh Myers will be a free agent in March, and right guard Sean Rhyan was only solid this past year (61.3-overall PFF grade). The Packers took Morgan in the first round — and moved him to guard — for a reason, even if he played just 186 snaps in 2024. The former Arizona product allowed only three sacks and 30 pressures during his final two collegiate seasons. Expect Morgan’s pedigree to be unleashed in full this upcoming year at either guard slot, with the versatile Jenkins potentially moving positions.
Adam Stenavich also expressed optimism about Morgan’s future with the team.
I saw a lot of good stuff from him. I’m very encouraged for the future. Whenever he gets healthy, we’ll get him back out there and just keep working with him, but I’m very excited about Jordan.
Morgan will likely get a chance to start on the interior in 2025 but should have a path to becoming Green Bay’s starting left tackle in 2026. Tom is expected to command top-five offensive tackle money, and it’s hard to see Green Bay letting him go. He finished third in All-Pro voting at right tackle and has played every position on the line.
Walker has reliably protected Jordan Love’s blindside and is in line for a massive payday. His price keeps rising, especially after Dan Moore Jr. agreed to a four-year, $82 million deal with the Tennessee Titans on Monday. Moore allowed 12 sacks and 41 pressures in 2024 – nine more sacks and four more pressures than Walker. With Moore making $20.5 million per year, Walker will likely ask for more. If he has another strong season in 2025, his price could reach $25 million annually.
If Jenkins moves to center in 2025, Banks will likely start at left guard while Morgan and Rhyan compete for the right guard job. That setup gives the Packers time to further develop Jacob Monk before transitioning Jenkins back to guard, with Tom and Morgan taking over the tackle spots.
With Jenkins and Banks as long-term solutions at guard, Morgan can be the answer at tackle. Letting Walker hit the open market would be tough, but the Packers must be wise with their spending. It’s hard to justify paying him when they have a younger, first-round investment Green Bay drafted to play tackle.
As mentioned, Jayden Reed and Tucker Kraft will likely command big extensions. If Evan Williams and Edgerrin Cooper continue their strong play, they’ll also have a case for future deals. Meanwhile, Love’s cap hit will jump to $36.2 million in 2025 and $44 million in 2026. Keeping a competitive roster around him will require tough financial decisions, and that likely means moving on from Walker and letting Morgan take over at left tackle.
Signing Banks gives the Packers two solid options on the interior. I imagine Brian Gutekunst brought him in to strengthen the inside while allowing Morgan to transition to tackle. Whether this plan unfolds as expected remains to be seen, but it feels like the logical approach.