2026 Packers roster ranking, 20-11: Green Bay's recent draft picks and bounce-back candidates

The Leap ranks the Green Bay Packers' 90-man roster in order of player caliber.

With the Green Bay Packers on break until training camp and the personnel essentially frozen for the foreseeable future, The Leap will use this time to reveal its annual 90-man roster rankings.

Our methodology: We order the players based on ability relative to their respective positions rather than weighing the importance of those positions. Put another way, this exercise prioritizes the “best” players, not necessarily the ones who offer the most “value.” That means the starting quarterback doesn’t have to top the list because of the position he plays.

Each edition of the 90-man roster ranking will include a batch of roughly 10 players. Due to voting ties, some batches will feature slightly more or less.

Today’s slate features a handful of recent draft picks and bounce-back candidates.

20. Aaron Banks

Position: guard
How acquired: unrestricted free agent (2025)

The Packers’ decision last offseason to sign free agent Aaron Banks to a four-year, $77 million deal raised eyebrows from the rip. While the veteran guard had played at a high level for stretches of his time with the San Francisco 49ers, he hadn’t established himself as a premier player at the position. Nevertheless, Green Bay awarded him a contract that, even a year later, ranks among the top 10 for a guard by average annual value.

Banks’ agreement wouldn’t remain a talking point if not for the disappointing debut campaign with the Packers. Injuries limited him to just two starts over the first five weeks of the season, and he missed snaps in each of the games in which he did play over that span. He lasted just nine snaps in Week 9’s loss to the Carolina Panthers as well. Banks’ fluctuating availability contributed to the game of musical chairs that the offensive line devolved into over the course of 2025.

But while expectations for Banks have understandably fallen, he remains a capable guard when healthy. From Week 11 to Week 14, he played every snap and allowed zero sacks or quarterback hits, his best sustained run thus far in Green Bay. Given that three of the four other spots along the offensive line will feature either a new starter or a player who has less than a full season working at his current position, the Packers likely need Banks to deliver a solid performance in 2026.

19. Carrington Valentine

Position: cornerback
How acquired: seventh-round draft pick (2023)

Carrington Valentine has reached a crossroads of sorts. Over his first two years, he received plaudits for playing admirably for limited stretches, including stepping in for Jaire Alexander during the 2024 season. Then in 2025, Valentine emerged as a de facto starter, playing 70% of defensive snaps but allowing a team-worst seven touchdowns and letting multiple “gimme” interceptions slip through his fingers.

Now in a contract year, Valentine remains in the starting conversation entering 2026. However, the Packers have reloaded at cornerback, drafting Brandon Cisse in the second round and signing Benjamin St-Juste early in free agency. Those additions don’t mean Valentine has lost the inside track for his job, but he will need to outperform the competition during training camp and the preseason to maintain the status quo.