Aaron Banks didn’t exactly ease any nerves when he put a bold label on the Packers’ offensive line.
“We could be the best offensive line in the league,” Banks said, per Carson Fowler.
That’s a strong statement from a player who enters this season with plenty to prove. Banks opened training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list for the second straight year, and while he was activated shortly after, the early setback only added to the frustration around his health and his role. Last season, injuries and uneven play went hand in hand, and the Packers never got the sturdy interior presence they were expecting from the veteran guard.
The numbers tell the story. Banks posted a 53.5 Pro Football Focus grade, which ranked 64th among 81 eligible guards.
His pass-blocking grade was even shakier at 52.2, good for 68th. He allowed 27 total pressures, including three quarterback hits and two sacks, and was flagged four times.
In the run game, he wasn’t creating much for Josh Jacobs, who too often was getting contacted at or behind the line.
That’s why the comments land with extra weight. Banks is signed to a $77 million deal, and the Packers are counting on him to be one of the more experienced bodies in the trenches, especially with Elgton Jenkins and Rasheed Walker no longer in the picture. He’ll also need to help ease the burden on Jordan Morgan, who remains a work in progress on the left side.
Banks has not been a star, but he’s also not the player he showed last season. If the injuries were the main issue, a healthier version could look a lot different. If they weren’t, though, he’s already put himself in a spot where the words will come back fast if the play doesn’t match them.
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