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What Is Next For Elgton Jenkins?
As of the third week of free agency, the Packers still don't have a starting center. They chose not to re-sign Josh Myers, who went on to sign a one-year deal with the New York Jets. One possible solution is moving Elgton Jenkins to center, a position he's played before. That shift would open the door for Jordan Morgan and Sean Rhyan—who is entering the final year of his rookie contract—to start at guard.
Jenkins has 369 career snaps at center, with 297 of them coming during the 2020 season. He has started four games at the position, totaling 255 snaps as a true center. In that span, he allowed just two pressures and didn’t give up a single sack. He also started one game at center in 2024, during Week 9 against the Detroit Lions. In that outing, he posted a perfect pass-blocking efficiency score, although he did struggle with snapping the ball in a couple of plays.
There's evidence to suggest that Elgton Jenkins can be a good starting center. However, he's at his best as a guard. In 2024, 57 guards played at least 400 pass-blocking snaps, and Jenkins ranked first in pass-blocking grade, third in fewest pressures allowed, and fourth in pass-blocking efficiency.
Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Green Bay plans on Jenkins being their starting center, with Aaron Banks stepping in at left guard. However, the Packers have met with Jared Wilson, the starting center from Georgia. While Jenkins moving to center is the most probable scenario, there’s still a chance he could be used at guard, depending on how things develop.
The Packers know they have a Pro Bowl guard in Elgton Jenkins, and they’ll need to figure out if it’s worth moving him around. The real question is: What’s more important—a reliable starting center or keeping a Pro Bowl guard in place? The center position is arguably the most crucial on the offensive line, but Jenkins has been phenomenal at guard. Green Bay is also thin on depth in the interior, so it’s fair to expect they’ll look to add help in the draft. Still, if Jenkins is moved to center, they’ll need Morgan and Rhyan to step up in a big way to keep the line strong.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Packers will have some tough choices to make, especially when it comes to Elgton Jenkins. With Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker, and Sean Rhyan all slated to hit free agency, keeping them all won’t be easy.
Green Bay won’t have much cap flexibility that year, and they have already invested heavily in their offensive line. Elgton Jenkins signed a four-year, $68 million extension back in 2022, and this offseason, they strengthened the interior by bringing in Aaron Banks on a four-year, $77 million deal.
Bringing back Zach Tom should be a top priority for the Packers. His ability to play all five positions on the offensive line and his third-place finish in All-Pro voting for right tackles prove his value. He’s set to reset the market, and it’s difficult to envision Green Bay not making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the league. However, this will have an impact on Rasheed Walker’s contract situation. While keeping both Tom and Walker is possible, the most likely way to retain both starting tackles is by parting ways with Jenkins.
If Tom’s contract is settled soon, the Packers will have three hefty deals on their offensive line. With the need to balance their spending across the roster, it’s hard to see them committing to a fourth large contract for the line. Ultimately, the decision on Jenkins’ future may come down to whether Green Bay is confident in the development of Jordan Morgan to take over as the franchise’s left tackle. If Morgan can step up, it would make the Packers more comfortable allowing Rasheed Walker to hit the open market. That would leave them with three major contracts on the offensive line—Jenkins, Tom, and Banks—while Morgan would still be on his rookie deal. They could also have Sean Rhyan on a cost-effective deal or potentially bring in another player through the draft.
The next 12 months should be interesting for both the Packers and Elgton Jenkins. Green Bay doesn't typically hand out third contracts, but Pro Bowl-caliber guards aren't easy to come by. Jenkins is likely to remain a top-tier starter in 2025, regardless of where he plays along the interior. However, his future beyond that remains up in the air, and right now, there are far more questions than answers regarding his long-term role.
Filed Under: FeaturedFelipe Reis Aceti
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Felipe is a Brazilian Packers writer covering the #GoPackGo for CheeseheadTV, Zone Coverage, and Packers Talk. Additionally, he contributes to Cheeseheads Brazil. Follow him on twitter at @Aceti_Felipe.
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NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Elgton Jenkins
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