All-NFC North Team: Packers Blocked Out on Offensive Line

The Green Bay Packers’ offensive line helped fuel running back Josh Jacobs’ Pro Bowl season and led the way as the team finished third in sack percentage allowed. However, no members of their starting five were selected for On SI’s All-NFC North Team.

Right tackle Zach Tom, left guard Aaron Banks and center Elgton Jenkins, however, were second-team selections.

On SI’s four team beat writers were asked to pick the top two linemen at each position, with a first-place vote for one point and a second-place vote for two points. Here are the results.

All-NFC North Offensive Line

Left tackle: Minnesota’s Christian Darrisaw, 4 (four first-place votes); Detroit’s Taylor Decker (three second-place votes); Green Bay’s Rasheed Walker (one second-place vote).

“Darrisaw has developed into one of the best left tackles in the NFL, but expecting him to be as good in 2025 as he was before he tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee (in) October might be asking a bit too much,” Vikings On SI’s Joe Nelson said, adding that he might miss the first few games of the season.

Left guard: Chicago’s Joe Thuney, 4 (four first-place votes); Green Bay’s Aaron Banks, 8 (four second-place votes).

Acquired from the Chiefs, Thuney solves the Bears’ “revolving door” at left guard, Bears On SI’s Gene Chamberlain said, noting Thuney has been the NFL’s pass-blocking guard the last four seasons, based on ESPN’s pass-block win rate.

“The Bears are getting him close to the end of his career, but this is anything but a Josh Sitton type of move by GM Ryan Poles to acquire him for a fourth-round pick.”

Center: Chicago’s Drew Dalman, 5 (three first-place votes, one second-place vote); Green Bay’s Elgton Jenkins (one first-place vote, one second-place vote, two no votes); Minnesota’s Ryan Kelly (two second-place votes, two no votes).

Dalman is Chicago’s first “real impact center” since longtime standout Olin Kreutz. His athleticism will fit well in Chicago’s wide-zone scheme, Chamberlain said.

Right guard: Detroit’s Graham Glasgow, 6 (two first-place votes, two second-place votes); Minnesota’s Will Fries (two first-place votes, two no votes); Chicago’s Jonah Jackson (two second-place votes, two no votes).

“After a resurgent 2023 season that made him look like one of Brad Holmes’ best finds, he regressed to the mean last year and struggled,” Lions On SI’s John Maakaron said, noting Glasgow could wind up moving to center to replace the retired Frank Ragnow.

Right tackle: Detroit’s Penei Sewell, 4 (four first-place votes); Green Bay’s Zach Tom (three second-place votes); Minnesota’s Brian O’Neill (one second-place vote).

Sewell is a two-time first-team All-Pro and “one of the best athletes playing the offensive line in the entire league,” Maakaron said.

Tom is a premier player at a premium position, as well, but might face an impossible hurdle in ever getting past Sewell for postseason accolades. In last year’s All-Pro vote, Sewell was first team and Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson was second team. Both players are on Hall of Fame trajectories. Tom, the steal of steals as a fourth-round pick in 2022, finished third.

Despite missing the offseason and start of training camp with a torn pectoral, Tom allowed three sacks last season, according to Pro Football Focus. In PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, which measures sacks, hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snap, Tom ranked 21st out of 68 tackles (minimum 300 pass-blocking snaps). More than just a graceful pass protector, the undersized Tom is one of the best run blockers at the position.

Tom is set to be a free agent at the end of the season. A contract extension probably will be worth more than $20 million per season.

Banks and Jenkins are part of Green Bay’s new and potentially improved line, with Banks personifying the Packers’ move to bigger blockers and Jenkins almost certainly an upgrade over veteran Josh Myers, who left in free agency.

The Packers signed Banks to a staggering contract in free agency – giving great-player money to a player who hasn’t been great. Last season, he allowed only one sack but was a mediocre 35th out of 65 guards in PFF’s PBE. A second-round pick in 2021, Banks the past three seasons has started 43 of a possible 51 games. He is a big man with nimble feet who the Packers are betting on taking the next step.

The addition of Banks meant moving Jenkins, a Pro Bowler at left guard, to center. He ranked fifth among guards in PBE, with PFF charging him with only one sack. Jenkins does have some background at center, playing the position at Mississippi State and starting in the rain last season against Detroit.

Because of how the position change could impact his next contract, Jenkins elected to skip the voluntary OTAs and did not practice during minicamp.