Aaron Banks was back at practice on Thursday, but only as a limited participant, marking the second time this week he’s barely been out there. Seriously, “limited participant” pretty much sums up his entire season, and if the Green Bay Packers want to actually protect their quarterback, they need to keep him right there on the sidelines.
Banks’ Consistent Injury Woes Are Nothing New
Look, coach Matt LaFleur was all diplomatic about the offensive line situation, saying it’s “going to be pretty fluid” and they’ll “have to see where [Banks] is at.” He added Banks “hasn’t practiced in a long time, and those other guys have come in and done a really good job.” But come on, we can be real here. There is zero reason to put Banks back in that lineup. The Packers should functionally move on from the guy they signed as a free agent in 2025.
We’re talking about a player who missed most of training camp with a knee injury, which also cost him Week 1. Then a toe injury knocked him out of Week 2 after just 22 snaps, and he’s been ghost ever since. His “limited reliability” is a huge reason the Packers’ offensive line started this year looking like a total mess. And let’s be honest, it’s not a shock. Banks was consistently injured for the 49ers. He was consistently injured in 2025. This injury bug isn’t new, folks. You’d only be surprised if you haven’t been paying attention.
Tomlinson Stepped Up, And The Line Is Better For It
While Banks has been stuck on the shelf, Laken Tomlinson has stepped up and done a perfectly adequate job as left guard. They snatched him from the Cowboys’ practice squad after Donovan Jennings and Jager Burton barely showed anything in their auditions. Tomlinson’s been in for every snap of the last two games, and while the ground game hasn’t been awesome for anyone on that line, Tomlinson’s held his own in pass protection, giving up only two pressures in his last two outings.
His performance is a massive reason Sean Rhyan has looked way better lately, too. During the first three games, with Jennings, Burton, and Jacob Monk at guard, Rhyan was totally frazzled. Pass protection was crumbling around him, and he barely knew which beleaguered backup to try and help. It’s no accident that Rhyan’s best two graded games of the year, according to Pro Football Focus, happened with Tomlinson next to him on the left and Travis Glover doing work on the right. Bringing Banks back in now? That would just be repeating the same mistake that landed the Packers in this offensive line disaster in the first place.
The decision here should be crystal clear. The Packers have stability now. They have guys gelling. To mess that up by forcing a consistently injured player back into the fold, especially when his replacement is doing solid work, would be a head-scratcher. They need to keep that line playing like they have these last two games. It’s all about moving forward, not looking back at a past that’s already proved unreliable.
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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