As of the Monday of Week 1, the Green Bay Packers are unsure -- or unwilling to reveal -- the status of starting offensive linemen Zach Bako-Bewele and Aaron Banks, who both managed knee injuries and missed time during training camp.
The Packers open the season against Brian Flores and the blitz-happy Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Will Bako-Bewele and Banks be available?
"We'll see," coach Matt LaFleur said when asked that question on Monday.
It's possible LaFleur knows, or has a good idea, and is unwilling to give away the information via the media. The Packers will release their first injury report of the 2026 season on Wednesday, with final status designations arriving on Friday.
Without injury question marks, Bako-Bewele and Banks would be the
starters at right tackle and left guard, respectively. But neither has been available fully during training camp, with Bako-Bewele working his way back from offseason knee surgery and Banks working through lingering knee tendonitis.
"You talk about continuity, it's hard to build continuity if you don't have five guys out there," LaFleur said.
Anthony Belton would be the likely backup at right tackle if Bako-Bewele can't go or is limited, while rookie Jager Burton could be the top option behind Banks at left guard.
General manager Brian Gutekunst recently thought Banks had a good chance to be ready for Week 1, while Bako-Bewele expressed unconvincing confidence in his Week 1 availability last week. It appears the Packers still aren't fully sure with six days to go until the opener.
The Packers struggled along the offensive line for long stretches in 2025, in large part due to injuries. Banks dealt with several minor injuries early in the season, while Bako-Bewele missed the final four games and the playoff game with a partially torn patellar tendon that required surgery.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers unsure of Week 1 status of two starting offensive linemen
