Packers Promote Offensive Lineman from Practice Squad

Two days after Zach Tom played only one snap in his return to the lineup, the Green Bay Packers have promoted undrafted rookie offensive tackle Brant Banks from the practice squad.

With Brenton Cox and Jayden Reed on injured reserve, the Packers had two openings on the roster so a corresponding roster move did not have to be made.

The Packers were practically out of linemen for a moment against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. With Tom aggravating the oblique strain that he suffered in Week 1 and that sidelined him in Week 2 and with left guard Aaron Banks missing the second half with a groin injury, the Packers opened the second half with Rasheed Walker at left tackle, Jordan Morgan at left guard, Elgton Jenkins at center, Sean Rhyan at right guard and Anthony Belton at right tackle.

When Walker missed four snaps with an equipment issue and with Donovan Jennings inactive, Green Bay inserted the last available lineman, Darian Kinnard.

The promotion of Banks probably means the Packers will be cautious with Tom after his comeback from an oblique injury couldn’t have gone worse. Tom was limited participation at practice all three days last week and decided to play against Cleveland. He went down on the first play, though.

“I wouldn’t say he further reaggravated,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday. “I think it was more or less, it’s always hard to simulate what you’re going to face in a game. You’d have to ask him, but I think that the force of the guy that he’s going against, it hurt him. He didn’t feel like he could go.”

Banks was somewhat of an afterthought in this year’s undrafted class. After playing in 26 games in four seasons at Nebraska, he transferred to Rice. In 2023, he started 13 games at left guard. In 2024, he started 12 games at right tackle.

Green Bay gave four undrafted rookies at least $100,000 in signing bonus and guaranteed salary. Banks got $1,000.

The Packers have for years taken college left tackles and moved them around the line to find their best spot. It was the opposite approach for Banks, who was anchored at left tackle throughout training camp and the preseason.

He had an excellent preseason; PFF charged him with zero pressures in 21 pass-protecting snaps and he was not penalized.

Interestingly, Banks’ head coach while at Rice, Mike Bloomgren, is the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns and his offensive line coach at Rice, Sanders Davis, is the Browns’ assistant offensive line coach.

Green Bay’s coming off a 13-10 loss to the Browns in which their injury-plagued offensive line was manhandled. Running back Josh Jacobs had more rushing yards after contract than he had rushing yards and quarterback Jordan Love was sacked five times.

“We knew they had a No. 1 defense in the NFL right now and one of the best defensive lines in the NFL,” Jacobs said. “We had some guys get banged up in the game. We had the next-man-up mentality, but it’s always going to be a little rough when you got guys going against guys like that on maybe limited snaps and things like that. We try to do what we could with what we had. They just had a good game plan for us.”

The Packers will play at the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Banks, who was all-conference in academics five times in his college career, is a native of Houston.