GREEN BAY — Matt LaFleur’s response, in retrospect, was telling. 

It was late November, and his Green Bay Packers were in the midst of a three-game winning streak and a stretch of five games in which the offense scored 30 or more points.

LaFleur, the Packers head coach, had long been a believer that an offense’s success begins up front. He had just been reminded that through 11 games, he’d had his preferred five offensive linemen start 10 of them together — the premise being that the unit’s continuity and strong play had led the way.

But LaFleur didn’t see it that way.

“I think we’ve got a lot of room for improvement there,” LaFleur said, bluntly. “And those guys, they know it. We’ve got to be better.”

Four months later, after the Packers’ first foray into the NFL’s free-agent market had been to agree with ex-San Francisco 49ers left guard Aaron Banks on a four-year, $77 million deal on Monday morning, LaFleur’s analysis from that day immediately came to mind.

With starting center Josh Myers set to depart as a free agent himself, and with three other starters — left tackle Rasheed Walker, right guard Sean Rhyan and right tackle Zach Tom — all heading into the fourth and final years of their rookie deals in 2025, the offensive line was a much more pressing issue with the Packers’ roster than many thought.

Universally viewed as the top available guard on the market, Banks’ signing gives LaFleur, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich and line coach Luke Butkus options for the 2025 season and beyond — even if that $77 million number was eye-popping, however the deal is structured.

Speaking at the annual NFL scouting combine late last month, general manager Brian Gutekunst indicated that bolstering the offensive line was a priority.

“We’ll always continue to address it because it’s such an important part of what we do,” Gutekunst said. “God only made so many big people. At every level of football, I always thought the difference is big people who can move — that’s high school, college, the National Football League.

“We’re always going to continue to address the offensive line because there’s just never enough of them. But, right now, sitting here today, I feel pretty good about, if we had to go play, we have the guys that can play in different spots.”

Banks, a 2021 second-round draft pick out of Notre Dame who’ll turn 28 in September, started at left guard each of the past three seasons for the 49ers. Given his extensive experience there, the Packers figure to move Pro Bowl left guard Elgton Jenkins to center and play Banks in his place.

That would allow 2024 first-round draft pick Jordan Morgan, who was limited to six games (one start) and 186 offensive snaps as a rookie because of a shoulder injury that eventually required season-ending surgery, to compete for a starting spot with Rhyan at right guard or Walker at left tackle.

The Packers also have 2024 fifth-round pick Jacob Monk as an option at center, and Rhyan can play there, too.

“Getting Jordan Morgan back now that he’s had the shoulder surgery, and getting him out there on the consistent basis, whether that be a tackle or guard, would be really helpful,” Gutekunst said.

“We’ve always focused on versatility with our offensive linemen, whether it be because of injury or because we have players that leave. We feel really good about the flexibility of our guys to play multiple spots and try to get the best five on the field.”

Meanwhile, the Packers’ other free-agent deal, with ex-Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs, fills another of those you-can-never-have-too-many needs on the Packers roster.

With Jaire Alexander on his way out — the two-time second-team All-Pro cornerback is expected to be traded or released — and 2021 first-round pick Eric Stokes not expected to be re-signed in free agency, the Packers’ starting outside cornerbacks heading into Monday figured to be Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine. Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams would be the starters at safety, with Javon Bullard as the nickelback.

But while Hobbs, a 2021 fifth-round pick from Illinois who got a four-year, $48 million deal that includes $16 million guaranteed, spent most of his four seasons with the Raiders in the slot, he can also play outside. That would give defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley options in the back end.

The 6-foot, 195-pound Hobbs also has the kind of size and length that the Packers prefer.

“You know me, I’d love all those guys to be 6-3 1/2 and 220. I’d love that,” Gutekunst said. “I do think with what Jeff’s trying to do, there’s a lot more vision and awareness and instincts out there than maybe we’ve played with in the past.”

Adding Hobbs, who was teammates with Nixon for one year in Las Vegas, allows Nixon to play inside or outside depending on matchups and Bullard to compete with Williams for the second starting safety job alongside McKinney.

Gutekunst said last month that he thought Nixon played “really, really well” and “really fit what (Hafley) was trying to do” on defense. Nixon, meanwhile, proclaimed after the season his intent to be the team’s No. 1 cornerback—exclusively outside, and no longer returning kickoffs — presuming Alexander would depart.

“I think my Year 1 with Jeff was outstanding. I think he revamped the way my career’s shaping, moved me to outside corner and I played outstanding all year,” Nixon said. “I like ‘Haf’ a lot. I can’t wait to get back next year and get Year 2 under my belt in his system playing outside corner only. I’m just excited about it.

“I only played nickel when I got to Green Bay because that’s the only way I was going to get on the field. So I had to learn it. Other than that, corner is what I want to play, that’s what I’m going to play. That’s just what it is.

“I’m excited just to play outside corner for a whole year and know I’m going to play outside corner — focus on playing corner and locking up every team’s No. 1 next year.”

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