The Packers got an early lift with Aaron Banks, even if it came with a few caveats.
Green Bay had opened camp with real concern after placing the left guard on the physically unable to perform list, especially with the team counting on him to stay healthy and rebound this season. But that worry eased quickly.
On Wednesday, the Packers activated Banks and defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse from the PUP list. Offseason pickup Brenden Rice, meanwhile, was placed on the non-football injury list.
There’s an important wrinkle here: before cutdown day, teams can pull players off PUP whenever they want, unlike during the regular season. The tradeoff is that those players still count against the 90-man roster limit while they’re there.
Banks’ return to activity was limited, though. Bill Huber of Packers On SI reported that he did not practice with the team, but he did take part in individual drills.
That leaves the situation in a familiar gray area. Green Bay is getting him back on the field, but not yet back into full team work.
That matters because the Packers need their offensive line to come together fast. Jordan Morgan and Sean Rhyan are slated to start at left tackle and center, respectively, and line play is all about timing and chemistry. Every missed rep makes that process a little harder.
At the same time, there’s no sense in forcing the issue. A rushed return could backfire, and Green Bay has no interest in seeing Banks run into the same injury problems that bothered him in 2025.
The Packers are still waiting for the version of Banks they thought they were getting. He’s not in danger of losing his job, but patience only stretches so far if the bounce-back doesn’t come. Last season, the former Notre Dame Fighting Irish lineman allowed two sacks and 28 pressures on 887 offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, and his 56.3 PFF grade as a run blocker wasn’t much better.
That’s the backdrop for a player who arrived with a $77 million price tag in 2025. Green Bay needs a return on that investment, and the best version of that return is Banks being ready for the opener against the Minnesota Vikings so Jordan Love has the strongest possible protection.
He still has work to do, but getting off PUP on Day 1 of training camp was a solid first step.
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