Another week and another offensive line change for the Green Bay Packers offensive line. Just as things started to settle in, the team decided to shake things up, according to head coach Matt LaFleur. LaFleur noted that they tried to put $77M left guard Aaron Banks at right guard despite just three career snaps at the position. They did it because Laken Tomlinson, a player they added from the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, took over his spot at left guard.
However, because Banks is new to the right side, the team benched him for Travis Glover, who entered the year with nine career snaps at right guard.
“We were going to shuffle up the line a little bit,” said LaFleur after the game. “I think Laken’s been doing a pretty good job, and we put him back to his natural position, and we’re going to let Banks compete at the right guard.”
This is a surprising admission in itself. The team had noted prior to this that Banks had the long-term reputation to hold down his job. It is why the team signed him to a four-year deal last offseason. Now, he is being benched halfway through his second season with the team.
Green Bay Packers Bench Aaron Banks in Week 10 Loss to Minnesota Vikings
LaFleur noted that the plan is to play Banks at right guard in the future. They just did not see this week as the right time.
“He doesn’t have a ton of time on task at that position, so we went the way we did tonight,” added LaFleur.
Glover spent training camp at tackle. He allowed three tackles and had a 38 PFF grade. LaFleur said that the change was not the reason for the offensive failure.
“Yeah, I mean, I think that we can make that excuse, but no,” said LaFleur when asked if this was the reason for the loss.
The Packers have to figure out their line at some point.
Packers Offensive Line is Issue Once Again
Banks was hurt in training camp, so the team had to start Donovan Jennings in his spot in Week 1. Jennings was not good and got hurt, so the team moved back to Banks, who got hurt again in Week 2.
In Week 3, they started Jager Burton, but he got hurt, so they signed Tomlinson off of the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, and he jumped in. When Banks got healthy, the team decided to push Tomlinson over to the right side because Glover got hurt.
That allowed Banks to slot into his natural spot on the left side. Now that Glover is back, the team put him back in at right guard, pushed Tomlinson to the left side, and now Banks is the odd man out. We will see what the Packers do coming out of the bye week in Week 12 against the Los Angeles Rams.
Packers Coach Reveals Why $77M Starter Was Benched in Week 10