The Green Bay Packers picked up a much-needed victory over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day to improve their record to 8-3-1 on the season. While the win helped the Packers remain in striking distance of the Chicago Bears, the team they face in Week 14, there are still plenty of questions facing this team during the stretch run.
With the loss of Elgton Jenkins for the remainder of the season due to injury, the offensive line has been a patchwork group in recent weeks. Despite that, 26-year-old offensive guard Donovan Jennings was inactive, yet again, in Week 13, which only raises more questions as to why he is taking up a spot on the 53-man roster in the first place.
Donovan Jennings Should Be a Goner in Green Bay After Week 13
Jennings has only been active for one game during the 2025 season, after spending the 2024 campaign on the practice squad. At this stage of the game, Matt LaFleur and the coaching staff in Green Bay know what they have in the offensive lineman. If he isn't good enough to be on the active roster, there is little reason to keep him around.
For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, such as the Packers, using a spot on the 53-man roster on a player who you know isn't going to be a contributor is a mistake that goes all the way to the top of the front office. Given the issues this iteration of the team has been forced to fight through to this point, it would be nice to have an extra running back, tight end, or defensive tackle to work into the rotation instead of a player who spends his game days not in a uniform.
While there is every reason under the sun for Green Bay to cut ties with Jennings this offseason, Packers fans shouldn't be surprised to see him return for, at least, the 2026 offseason program and training camp. It would be cheap to retain him, and that could ultimately buy Jennings a little more time in Wisconsin.
Despite that, the pressure is on Jennings to give Brian Gutenkunst and the coaching staff reason to keep him around beyond those OTAs and training camp. While it will be of little financial consequence to the franchise to give him one more chance to prove his worth, it would be even less of a concern for the Packers to cut the cord if, and when, better options present themselves.