With the hours counting down to the start of the NFL’s new league year, the Green Bay Packers are running out of time to decide what they want to do with Elgton Jenkins.
A seven-year starter for the Packers, Jenkins failed transition to center, and a $24.3 million cap hit for next season caused SI’s Bill Huber to report that it’s “widely expected” he will be released by March 11. Additionally, there is still a small chance he could be traded before the deadline.
Those odds are microscopic since teams know the Packers will release Jenkins if they can’t find a partner. However, general manager Brian Gutekunst may have gotten a small glimmer of hope on Monday when the Houston Texans traded offensive tackle Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns and offensive guard Juice Scruggs to the Detroit Lions.
With Jawaan Taylor of the Kansas City Chiefs also drawing trade interest before his expected release, it could be the avenue the Packers need to get something for Jenkins and strike while the iron is hot.
Elgton Jenkins Trade Could Be in Play for Packers After Monday
Jenkins was disappointing in what appears to be his final season in Green Bay, but his Pro Football Focus numbers were comparable to Howard’s performance with the Texans. While Howard was not an elite tackle, and there was no indication that he would be released, Houston may have received a lifeline from the Cleveland Browns, who gave up a fifth-round pick and will sign Howard to a three-year, $63 million contract extension, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Elgton Jenkins | Tytus Howard | |
|---|---|---|
Overall PFF Grade | 62.0 | 62.3 |
Run Blocking Grade | 60.6 | 49.5 |
Sacks Allowed | 2 | 0 |
QB Pressures Allowed | 10 | 26 |
Total Snaps Played | 538 | 1,162 |
Pass Blocking Snaps | 293 | 643 |
The Packers’ leverage increases when looking at Taylor and Scruggs.
Taylor was a negative anchor at right tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs last season while dealing with injuries, and Scruggs mixed poor performance with his own injury woes in his three seasons in Houston. While Scruggs was traded in a package including a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, it also shows a creative way to get things done, as it helped the Texans land David Montgomery.
Elgton Jenkins | Juice Scruggs | Jawaan Taylor | |
|---|---|---|---|
Overall PFF Grade | 62.0 | 45.0 | 53.3 |
Run Blocking Grade | 60.6 | 40.5 | 43.8 |
Sacks Allowed | 2 | 0 | 3 |
QB Pressures Allowed | 10 | 11 | 20 |
Total Snaps Played | 538 | 351 | 760 |
Pass Blocking Snaps | 293 | 202 | 479 |
Taylor may not be able to draw similar interest, as teams may not be willing to pick up the tab on his $27.3 million cap hit for next season. The Packers could be in the same spot with Jenkins also carrying a large cap hit, but his performance could also entice a team to sign him to an extension, especially if they’re planning to move him to his natural position of left guard.
This could benefit the Packers in a few ways. Green Bay seems committed to rolling with Aaron Banks at left guard, on top of wanting to move on from Jenkins as the team’s center. If a team believes he still has life left at his old position, they could sign him, play him there, and hope they get the Pro Bowl player that has run his course in Green Bay.
It could be a better alternative to diving into a free-agent class, headlined by David Edwards of the Buffalo Bills, Braden Smith of the Indianapolis Colts, and Ed Ingram of the Houston Texans. With each of these players likely costing north of $12 million, according to Spotrac's projections, acquiring a former Pro Bowler via trade and signing him long-term could be a more affordable option.
It would be a best-case scenario for the Packers in a messy situation that they created. Let's hope that they can drum up enough interest to facilitate a deal rather than being forced to give Jenkins away for free.