Beneath the shadow of the 49ers’ gargantuan, offseason-long quarterback conversation sat another, smaller question that would help in defining their season.
San Francisco’s offensive line was perhaps their biggest non-quarterback issue in the offseason. To exacerbate matters, they didn’t address the offensive line in an offseason that saw left guard Laken Tomlinson leave and center Alex Mack retire. The club’s answer at left guard was 2021 second-round pick Aaron Banks, who played three garbage time snaps on offense in his rookie year to account for the entirety of his NFL experience. After struggling some early in camp, Banks has quickly erased the question mark that lingered at LG.
“I’ve been real happy with him in these first two weeks,” head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters in a Wednesday press conference. “I think he took a step up in Week One from the preseason and I think he even took a greater step up in Week Two compared to Week One, so I thought he had one of our better games on offense and did a hell of a job.”
Banks according to Pro Football Focus hasn’t allowed a pressure yet this season. His 75.5 overall PFF grade is the highest among San Francisco’s offensive linemen. His 82.2 pass blocking grade is the second-highest on the club.
The 49ers desperately needed Banks to pan out. They don’t have a great answer at LG had he not played well, and it would’ve gone down as another whiff on an early-round pick. If Banks continues trending up, the 49ers may have a long-term answer at a position that could be crucial in their immediate success with Jimmy Garoppolo and in their future success with the development of Trey Lance.
Banks may not have a flashy year, but he’s clearly starting to figure things out in the NFL. That’s great news for a team that was resting so much of its success on his shoulders. So far Banks has been more than equal to the task, and if he keeps playing this well, the already fading questions around the 49ers’ offensive line will evaporate entirely.
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