For all the questions the Green Bay Packers were facing this season, Elgton Jenkins wasn’t supposed to be one of them. Entering his seventh season in Green Bay, Jenkins was moving over from guard to center and general manager Brian Gutekunst expressed his belief that the 30-year-old could become an All-Pro at his new position.
But Jenkins hasn’t adapted to his new position well and after three rough games, Jenkins was trying to save face as he looks to be an important part of the Packers now and possibly extend his future with the team.
“I feel like I’m playing like s*** honestly. I can play way better,” Jenkins said via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
Packers Elgton Jenkins Facing Uncertain Future After Rough Start at Center
Jenkins’s comments are from a player that has had a lot going on since the end of last season. Jenkins was treated like a queen piece during the Packers’ overhaul of the offensive line, moving to center to clear the way for Aaron Banks, who signed a four-year, $77 million contract during free agency last spring. But Jenkins hasn’t been the upgrade they were getting over the departing Josh Myers.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jenkins has posted a 58.5 overall grade over his first three games and allowed five pressures and two sacks on 88 pass-blocking snaps. By comparison, Jenkins allowed 18 pressures on 527 snaps last season and his two sacks are already more than the previous two seasons combined while playing at guard.
The result has seen Jenkins carry a 51.5 pass blocking grade heading into Week 4, which is by far the lowest of his career, easily clearing the 67.8 grade he had in 2022. It’s a performance that has also let Gutekunst down and may see Jenkins playing somewhere else at the beginning of next season.
Jenkins saw this coming when he didn’t report to voluntary OTAs in May. While the team dubbed it a personal issue, Jenkins has no guaranteed money remaining on the four-year, $68 million contract extension he signed in 2022. Jenkins downplayed the idea that his absence was a holdout when he reported to training camp, but there was a lot riding on his future while he learned a new position.
Thus, Jenkins has become one of the biggest busts in an offensive line full of them. Banks hasn’t stayed healthy since signing in the offseason and Zach Tom has been out of the lineup except for one play after reportedly suffering a torn oblique muscle in the season-opening win against the Detroit Lions.
Banks and Tom are on massive contracts for next season but Jenkins could be the scapegoat of the offensive line if he continues to struggle. According to Over The Cap, the Packers would save $17.6 million if they decided to cut Jenkins before June 1. Jenkins may not stick in Green Bay if his play continues like this, unless he accepts a pay cut, as the Packers are currently $1.3 million over the salary cap heading into next season.
It puts a lot of pressure on a player who is normally used to preventing it during his career. But the real way for Jenkins to save face is if he gets back to being the player the Packers know he can be.