It’s been an offseason of drama for the Green Bay Packers.
And there was another wrinkle Wednesday when Rob Demovsky of ESPN reported center Elgton Jenkins is sitting out team workouts for a new deal. The decision will test Green Bay’s philosophy on how the team typically conducts business.
Two big things are working against Jenkins.
- Green Bay rarely dishes out contracts, especially lucrative ones, to players who are 30 or older. Jenkins has two years left on his deal, which expires when he is 31, and he’s looking for a third contract from Green Bay.
- The Packers don’t dabble with adjusting contracts with more than a year remaining.
Green Bay knows how valuable Jenkins is to the puzzle, so how they handle this will be telling.
From Jenkins’s perspective, the decision makes sense. He has two years left on his deal, but the Packers have paid out all the guaranteed money. Jenkins is also shifting from left guard to center, and centers make less money than guards or tackles in the NFL.
The veteran offensive lineman wants assurance that Green Bay will pay him handsomely, even with the switch to center, something the Packers apparently haven’t worked out yet. As a result, Green Bay has a disgruntled, top-tier lineman looking to cash in before his deal expires.
Jenkins has been a Swiss Army knife for the Packers throughout the years, and calling him that doesn’t even do justice to his value to the team. Jenkins has flourished in every spot on the offensive line that the Packers have put him at.
After signing Aaron Banks to a hefty deal in free agency, the plan was to move Jenkins to guard. The switch for Jenkins didn’t come as a surprise. Earlier in the offseason, general manager Brian Gutekunst noted that the two sides had plenty of dialogue.
We had plenty of conversations with Elgton leading up to it, and obviously he played center in college. We feel he’s got a chance to be an All-Pro center. We’ve talked about it a lot, how versatility plays into our offensive line, and having guys that can move to different spots. And Elgton’s one of those guys who can play all five spots, so he’s a luxury. I’m excited to see what he can do at center, as well.
Demovsky’s report confirmed that Jenkins’s issue isn’t the move to center. He’s been receptive to that part; he just wants the financial reassurance.
So, how will this all play out?
Gutekunst believes Jenkins can be one of the best centers in the league. That much is obvious. Will Green Bay bend or stretch beyond its normal parameters and give an extension to a player who will be in his 30s, and do so before he reaches the final year of his deal? That’s the big question.
There’s also another element to consider.
Green Bay inked Banks to a four-year, $77 million deal with $27 million guaranteed. That’s big boy money for a left guard the Packers were clearly enamored with. Right tackle Zach Tom is about to cash in on a new deal that should put him among the highest-paid right tackles in the league.
Those deals, one done and one yet to be hashed out, will chew up a significant amount of Green Bay’s salary cap space. Another deal with Jenkins would be another tough financial hit, even though Jenkins has earned it.
The flexibility for Green Bay will come from the other two offensive line spots.
Jordan Morgan was drafted in the first round a year ago and will compete for the starting left tackle spot this summer. Anthony Belton was drafted in the second round this April and played left tackle at North Carolina State, but he could slot in at right guard as early as 2025 or in 2026.
If the Packers extend Jenkins, it will send a clear message that Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan will be playing their final season in Green Bay. There just isn’t enough money to go around. As good as Walker has been at left tackle and Rhyan at right guard, the Packers drafted Morgan and Belton for a reason.
Having Morgan and Belton at two starting spots in 2025 or 2026 would give the Packers some wiggle room to get something done with Jenkins with those two on rookie deals.
Jenkins is testing Green Bay’s philosophy. He wants to be the exception to the rule, and he’s earned the right to demand it. The question remains: Where will Green Bay make allowances, and where will they look to cut costs?
