Cincinnati Bengals Free Agency Preview: Guard Taken 2 Spots After Jackson Carman Available Again As 3-Year Starter

Jay Morrison | Feb 12, 2025

Oct 6, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers guard Aaron Banks (center) blocks against Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Bilal Nichols (left) during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI – The list of players selected immediately after the Cincinnati Bengals selected Jackson Carman with the No. 46 pick in the 2021 draft is a Mount Rushmore of regret.

The 12 players selected immediately after Carman all are starters or regular contributors to their teams, including the guard the San Francisco 49ers took two picks later at No. 48.

Aaron Banks has been a three-year starter for the 49ers after playing in a reserve role as a rookie.

Banks is ranked as the No. 9 guard heading into free agency by Pro Football Focus, and the No. 73 player overall.

While he’s been a three-year starter, Banks has yet to play a full 17-game season.

He started 16 games in 2022, missing the finale with an ankle but returning for the playoff run to the NFC Championship Game.

In 2023, toe and hip injuries limited him to 14 starts. And this past season a concussion followed by a season-ending MCL injury limited him to 13 starts.

But given the standard recovery for an MCL injury, Banks should be good to go in OTAs for whatever team signs him.

PFF ranked him as the No. 28 guard in 2024, with a No. 22 ranking as a run blocker and No. 44 as a pass blocker.

That was a significant leap from where Banks graded out during the 2023 season – No. 48 in both pass blocking and overall.

According to the PFF free agent profile on him: “Banks moves very well in the run game for his size, which is presumably what made him most attractive to the 49ers in the first place but still has room to grow in pass protection.”

While Banks comes in at No. 9 on the PFF list, his market value is expected to be close to what many of the other guards under age 30 are expected to earn.

Spotrac.com projects a three-year, $29.1 million contract ($9.7 per year), while PFF shows three years for $25.5 million ($8.5 AAV).

Per OverTheCap.com, the 49ers have the eighth most cap space available at $48 million, so they could make a run at keeping Banks, who had the team’s largest snap share (71 percent) of any of the free agents.

Banks will turn 28 the week of the season opener.

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