The Green Bay Packers‘ general manager, appeared to tip his hat to the fact to that special teams coordinator, Rich Bisaccia, will be remaining with the franchise in 2026 – despite no official announcement being made – in his media availability on Wednesday.
And it seems that Bisaccia may not be the only person who, despite having a questionable season in 2025, could be set to return in 2026. Despite murmurings online that Green Bay could decide to part ways with offensive lineman, Aaron Banks, in the offseason, Gutekunst stated on Wednesday that he expects the former San Francisco 49ers guard to return to the team next season.
The Packers Will Likely Not Cut Aaron Banks
“I don’t know if we’ve made any decisions on anybody yet,” Gutekunst replied to a question querying whether Banks would be on the team next season. “But yeah those guys are under contract, so I’ll expect them back.”
Gutekunst also said that he believed Banks came on towards the end of the season after working through his injury issues.
Keeping the former 49ers second round pick back in 2021, who received a massive 4 year, $77 million free-agent contract from the Packers last spring, works out to what is effectively at minimum a one-year, $18 million deal, given that if Green Bay cut him this March they save $4.5 million in 2026 and $13.5 million in 2027.
Does It Make Sense to Keep Banks For Another Season?
The Packers have always valued offensive line as a core foundation of the team, and with many expecting veteran interior offensive lineman, Elgton Jenkins, to be a cap casualty over the next few weeks, losing Banks would place them with a core vacant spot at left guard. Even if the team manages to re-sign center, Sean Rhyan – who put in some excellent performances towards the end of the season.
With the departure of left tackle Rasheed Walker likely imminent, it will be on the shoulders of 2024 first round pick, Jordan Morgan to show what he is capable of at left tackle, instead of being moved inside to guard.
That – and the retention of one (but not both) of Jenkins and Rhyan – would result in there being a hole at left guard that the Packers have no real suitable personnel to fill the hole on the interior, besides perhaps former fifth round center, Jacob Monk, who has played just 57 career snaps on offense.
The Packers are short around $4 million from reaching the salary cap, per Spotrac, but they can free up $20 million by moving off Jenkins and $11 million from cutting Pro Bowl edge rusher Rashan Gary, although it appears the latter could remain with the organization this year.
If the cap space is there, it figures that Gutekunst will give Banks another year of grace to demonstrate what he is truly capable of – and indeed to vindicate his own decision pay big money for the ex-Notre Dame IOL last March.
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