It’s that time of year. Former Notre Dame football offensive lineman are getting paid in free agency deals. And as it turns out, two former teammates have both gotten big contracts from new teams.
Earlier this week, Robert Hainsey inked a deal that will pay him about $7 million per year and likely give him a starting job for at least this season. Now Aaron Banks, who played on the same Irish offensive line, has his own fresh start.
The former Notre Dame football offensive lineman signed a 4-year $77 million contract with the Green Bay Packers. It seems as though he might step into a starting spot for his new team. And that would certainly be an interesting turn of events considering the scout on Banks has mostly been that he simply hasn’t been as good in the NFL as he was in college.
Former Notre Dame football lineman finds an NFL payday
Banks’ new deal has $27 million in full guarantees, but since it’s highly unlikely that Green Bay would move on after only one season, the former Irish star will realistically make at least $47.5 million in two years.
Banks spent his first four years in the pros with the San Francisco 49ers and he did start a majority of the Niners games during his career. However, while he was a starter, there’s a reason San Fran was ok with him departing.
Banks was one of the team leaders in blown block rate and out of 200 qualifying offensive linemen, ranked 153rd in that stat per Sports Info Solutions, and was tied for second in highest pressure allowed on the 49ers offensive line. In fact, he’s been one of the line leaders in pressure rate given up for the 49ers’ offensive line the last three seasons.
However, there’s talent in there. And perhaps he needs a new home to tap into it. While Aaron Banks was with the Notre Dame football team from 2017 to 2020, he was All-ACC First Team, ESPN All-America Team, Associated Press All-America First Team and one of the best linemen in the country.
