The San Francisco 49ers seem confident that second-year offensive lineman Aaron Banks can step in for Laken Tomlinson, who left this offseason via free agency for the New York Jets. Banks appeared in nine games last season, all coming after Week 9. However, only five of his 49 snaps were on offense. The rest came on special teams. All five offensive snaps came in Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 49ers are hoping for more out of Tomlinson's successor. They challenged him to work on his stamina and quickness over the past year, and it sounds like the offensive lineman has answered the challenge.
"That's where our strength and conditioning people have done a phenomenal job of just remaking that 330 pounds," offensive line coach Chris Foerster told The Athletic. "And so yes, his conditioning, his strength, have improved. … He has the ability to maintain, to play faster, to play harder, because he's in better shape."
A look at Aaron Banks at today's 49ers practice — he's still near 330 but has reworked a lot of fat to muscle. Banks says he has greater stamina and is moving better to start his second year in the NFL pic.twitter.com/J9ykICAV3S
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) June 1, 2022
Reporters have observed two practices during the past two weeks of organized team activities. Banks has primarily worked at left guard during those practices.
Banks nearly broke into the starting lineup last season. However, the 49ers were on a roll at that point, and head coach Kyle Shanahan didn't want to do anything to disrupt the team's rhythm.
"If you had asked me halfway through (the season) if he was going to be playing, I would have said, 'Yes.' And things just started clicking for our team, and we didn't want to mess it up," Shanahan said in March before declaring Banks "ready to go" for 2022.
Banks, speaking with reporters after Wednesday's practice, confirmed that the mental side of the game got easier as the weeks progressed last season.
"I missed a little bit of time earlier [last] year, and once I came back, it took me a couple of weeks," Banks shared. "But after a few weeks, I felt I was in a position to play. Maybe [it was] Week 8, 9 where I felt like things started to slow down and kind of understand the game at this level a little bit more."
Banks also confirmed what his offensive line coach said, indicating that he is physically in a better position to contribute than a year ago.
"I think I'm in better shape," Banks said. "I spent the offseason here working with Dustin Perry and the strength staff, and I kind of transformed by body a little bit. ... Just gaining muscle mass, putting on some muscle mass, cutting out some fats, so my body's fat percentage is down from what it was last year."
Banks added: "I think it's all the way through practice [that I notice the difference]. Being able to strain through the drills that we're doing a little bit harder for a little bit longer. And it kind of built a callus. So each day that we're practicing, just going harder and harder, and being able to do that for longer."
The 24-year-old offensive lineman says he is quicker and stronger this offseason. As for the mental side of the game, that too has improved from year one to year two.
"I think most guys, especially in this offense, are a little bit more prepared and kind of know what to expect going into the second year," Banks explained. "So I think I'm in a better place this year, for sure."