Packers must get dramatically better at one position despite pouring major resources into it just a year ago
Anthony Belton and Aaron Banks underperformed in pass protection throughout the 2025 season.
The Green Bay Packers wanted to get heavier along the interior of the offensive line. It wasn’t a coincidence that the team gave Aaron Banks a four-year, $77 million contract in free agency and drafted Anthony Belton in the second round.
So far, though, results couldn’t have been much worse. The graphic below shows that Banks was the 28th starting left guard in pressure rate allowed, and Belton was dead last amongst all starting guards in football as a rookie.
Questionable process, bad results
The decision to sign Banks to that type of deal was always questionable. Belton was also a significant reach in the draft — taken with the 54th overall pick, he was the 97th overall prospect on the consensus big board.
Now, the Packers made both of those calls trying to find long-term solutions. Banks is 28 and, presumably he stays healthier in 2026, there’s some room for him to play better — it’s hard to find a scenario where he performs to the level of his contract, but at least some type of improvement would be massive.
Belton has much more room to grow. This will be his 24-year-old season, and he moved from tackle to guard during the season — unlike Jordan Morgan, Belton didn’t cross-train much throughot training camp and early in the season.
More options
It’s realistic to expect that the Packers could add to the interior of the offensive line. At this moment, Sean Rhyan is set to hit free agency and Elgton Jenkins is a cut candidate. If Banks and Belton are the starting guards and Jacob Monk is the starting center, the only backup players capable of playing inside are Travis Glover and John Williams — neither played in 2025 due to injuries.
That sequence means the Packers need to keep one of Rhyan and Jenkins, plus add more via the draft and/or free agency. The veteran market has some names like Teven Jenkins and James Daniels, for example. In the draft, Brian Gutekunst traditionally likes to take college tackles to move them around at the NFL level.
The Packers invested so much in the guard position, but the results haven’t been there. If the improve doesn’t come from Banks and Belton, Green Bay will have to pivot quickly — and for that, the roster needs alternatives.
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