After weeks of whispers and head coach Matt LaFleur playing it super close to the vest, we finally got the real scoop on Aaron Banks’ knee injury for the Green Bay Packers. Turns out, their projected starting left guard *didn’t* go under the knife this offseason. Nope, Banks is battling some gnarly tendinitis that’s been flaring up every time he tries to go full throttle with strenuous football movements, ever since offseason workouts kicked off.
The Frustration Builds
Remember LaFleur’s classic line when asked about Banks’ status? “I’ll let him answer that.” Man, talk about a classic coach answer, right? It just left everyone guessing. Banks, while now activated off the physically unable to perform list, has only been able to get into individual drills, completely missing out on crucial team periods. And get this, he wasn’t even suited up for their preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday! That’s a huge deal for a guy who’s supposed to be a starter.
This whole situation has opened the door wide open for Jacob Monk and Jager Burton. These guys have been logging serious first-team reps with the offense and even got the nod to start at guard in that Steelers game. No wonder Banks is beyond frustrated, telling the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “Nobody’s more frustrated than I am about not being able to be out there right now.” You can practically feel his anguish, right? Sidelined while others are getting all that valuable experience.
The Tendinitis Saga & Timeline
So, the culprit is tendinitis, a real pain in the knee, literally. It flared up during offseason workouts and just won’t quit when he tries to make those intense football moves. The big question now is the timeline. Banks is super confident he’ll recover by the start of the regular season, and the team hasn’t even floated surgery as an option. That’s a huge piece of news, meaning they’re banking on conservative treatment to get him back on the field without a major procedure. But tendinitis can be tricky, man, it can linger.
And it’s not the only injury headache for the Packers. Tight end Tucker Kraft, who’s been working his way back from an ACL tear, only just got into team periods for the first time this entire training camp. He’s already bracing himself for a pitch count that he expects will last until about midway through the season. Two key guys, two big injuries. It just adds another layer of uncertainty for the Packers offense heading into what’s sure to be a wild season.
So, what’s next for Banks and that critical offensive line? Can he really shake off this tendinitis and be 100% when the regular season kicks off? His return, and the quality of that return, is going to be absolutely massive for how strong that offensive line performs. With Monk and Burton making a case, there’s a genuine competition brewing, even if Banks is the projected starter. You just gotta hope he gets healthy ASAP, because that O-line definitely needs its anchor back.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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