The Green Bay Packers are healthy, for the most part, heading into a season-opening tilt against the rival Minnesota Vikings. However, there are a few players to keep an eye on ahead of Week 1.
Last season, injuries decimated the Packers’ offense, and the offensive line was not spared. Throughout 2025, a nearly constant revolving cast of linemen shuffled in and out in front of quarterback Jordan Love.
Green Bay’s in better shape now, but the status of several linemen remains up in the air.
LG Aaron Banks and RT Zach Bako-Bewele
After signing a four-year, $77 million free-agent deal last offseason, Banks battled a groin injury throughout most of his first season with the Packers. At the start of year two in Green Bay, a knee injury plagues the 29-year-old.
Banks is suffering from knee tendinitis, which flared up during offseason workouts and lingered into training camp. On Wednesday, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur told Jason B. Hirschhorn of The Leap that Banks would start Sunday “if he’s able to go.”
Meanwhile, Bako-Bewele is still rehabbing from an offseason surgery to repair a patellar tendon tear. The 27-year-old played 83 percent of the Packers’ offensive snaps a year ago before a knee injury ended his season in Week 15.
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Bako-Bewele has been an integral piece of the Green Bay o-line since being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After moving to right tackle following his rookie year, Bako-Bewele started all 17 games in 2023 and 2024 before playing in only 12 games last season.
Like Banks, Bako-Bewele will likely carry a “questionable” designation this week, but he told Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he plans to start on Sunday.
Packers’ Backup Plan
When discussing the status of Banks and Bako-Bewele, LaFleur mentioned having a “contingency plan” in place should one or both miss Sunday’s matchup against the Vikings. The backup plan likely includes Anthony Belton, Jacob Monk, and 2026 fifth-round pick Jager Burton.
Belton started eight games as a rookie last season, and seven straight to close out the season (including playoffs). Monk has started only one game in two seasons with the Packers, coming in the final week of the 2025 regular season, when Green Bay chose to rest starters.
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LaFleur may have several options to replace Banks and Bako-Bewele, but it’s clear he’s going to give the pair every chance to be in the starting lineup.
“We’re going to take it one day at a time and see where they’re at,” LaFleur told Hirschhorn. “They’ll be out there on a limited basis today, and hopefully we can build upon that over the course of the week.”
Offensive Line Aside, The Packers Are Mostly Healthy
Taking away the expected absence of edge rusher Micah Parsons and running back Josh Jacobs, the Packers are nearly at full health. On Wednesday, only two players missed practice: linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper and defensive tackle Warren Brinson.
Starting the season without two key players isn’t ideal. But for the Packers, ravaged by injury last season, beginning the year relatively healthy has to be a relief.
