Signing Aaron Banks signals Green Bay’s plan to keep Zach Tom and transition Jordan Morgan to left tackle.

I was scrolling through the CheeseheadTV website when I came across Gil Martin’s Saturday piece debating where Jordan Morgan would best fit in the Packers’ 2025 offensive line.

Gill mentioned that there are two clear paths for Jordan Morgan in 2025, and I don’t disagree with him. Morgan could compete with Sean Rhyan for the right guard job or challenge Rasheed Walker for the left tackle spot while also serving as a potential swing tackle.

By training camp, we should start to see how Adam Stenavich plans to continue developing Morgan. While there are still some question marks about whether he’ll line up inside or outside in 2025, Green Bay’s moves in free agency offer more answers than questions about his future beyond this year.

On Monday, the Packers and former San Francisco 49ers guard Aaron Banks agreed to a four-year, $77 million deal. He’s expected to start at guard, though that could hinge on whether Elgton Jenkins moves to center. With Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker entering the final year of their rookie deals, the Packers are likely to face tough decisions about re-signing both players long-term.

Ken Ingalls, a Packers salary cap specialist, recently put together a preview of Green Bay’s 2026 cap situation. According to his breakdown, the team already has more money committed to just 29 players in 2026 than it does to 70 players this year—and that’s before factoring in the draft. That figure also doesn’t include the team’s 10 pending unrestricted free agents, all of whom are either starters or key contributors, along with other potential restricted free agents.

Green Bay will have some tough calls ahead, especially regarding both offensive tackles. While Rasheed Walker has done a good job protecting Jordan Love’s blindside, it’s hard to imagine the Packers letting Zach Tom go. Tom has played all five positions on the offensive line and finished third in All-Pro voting for right tackle. He’ll likely reset the market for RTs, and the Packers will probably prioritize locking him up.

Bringing in Banks ensures the Packers have at least two veteran options capable of playing guard, which could allow Jordan Morgan to slide outside and potentially start at left tackle if Walker walks next year. While it’s ideal for Green Bay to retain both starting tackles long-term, Brian Gutekunst has already noted that he’d like to keep Quay Walker for the long haul. Additionally, if Tucker Kraft continues to play at a high level in 2025, he’ll likely become a candidate for an early extension as well. The point is that while losing Walker wouldn’t be ideal, transitioning to a cost-effective rookie—who was a significant investment—provides better flexibility and helps avoid financial strain elsewhere.

There are currently 10 left tackles earning at least $20 million per year, and another strong season from Rasheed Walker will likely put him on track to join that list. Tristan Wirfs is the highest-paid right tackle, with an average of over $28 million per year. While Zach Tom already has a strong case for securing a massive contract, another All-Pro-level season would only increase his price, which is already expected to be quite high.

Jordan Love’s cap hit will jump to $36.2 million in 2025 and $44 million in 2026, meaning keeping a competitive roster around him will require some tough financial decisions in every phase of the roster. When you consider that Green Bay’s original plan for Morgan was to start his career at left tackle, it makes sense for them to revisit that option—even though it would be tough to see Rasheed Walker walk. Given the financial constraints ahead, going back to their original plan for Morgan could be the most practical move. Morgan played 186 snaps in 2024, with 185 of them at guard and the other one as an inline tight end, so we still need to see how he develops as a tackle at the professional level.

There’s growing confidence in Jordan Morgan from both the Packers and the media. Pro Football Focus identified him as an early breakout candidate for the Packers in 2025.

Starting center Josh Myers will be a free agent in March, and right guard Sean Rhyan was only solid this past year (61.3-overall PFF grade). The Packers took Morgan in the first round — and moved him to guard — for a reason, even if he played just 186 snaps in 2024. The former Arizona product allowed only three sacks and 30 pressures during his final two collegiate seasons. Expect Morgan’s pedigree to be unleashed in full this upcoming year at either guard slot, with the versatile Jenkins potentially moving positions.

The Packers’ coaching staff has also shown confidence in Jordan Morgan’s future.

“I saw a lot of good stuff from him,” Adam Stenaivch said in December. “I’m very encouraged for the future. Whenever he gets healthy, we’ll get him back out there and just keep working with him, but I’m very excited about Jordan.”

Every move comes with its risks and rewards. If the Packers let Rasheed Walker test the market and move forward with Jordan Morgan at tackle, Morgan could become Jordan Love’s reliable blindside protector for the next decade. But there’s also the risk that Morgan doesn’t work out on the outside, while Walker could sign a big deal elsewhere and continue to play well. That’s how life works in the NFL, and it’s a risk that Gutekunst will carefully calculate if the team indeed decides to move forward with Morgan as their blindside protector.

Personally, I think the Aaron Banks deal is a strong indicator that the Packers have made their choice regarding whether to pay Zach Tom or Rasheed Walker. While I don’t have any inside sources, I can’t see Green Bay straying from their plan for Jordan Morgan just two seasons into his tenure. 2025 could very well be the last year for Rasheed Walker as the franchise’s left tackle, with Morgan likely stepping in for 2026. That would leave Banks and Elgton Jenkins as guards (or Jenkins as center), with possibly Sean Rhyan (who will also be an unrestricted free agent in 2026) at guard, or someone else they bring in via free agency or the draft. It feels like the Packers are already shaping their long-term plan, with Morgan seeming to be a key part of it.