Packers confront a major offensive question, and the solution is far less clear than anticipated
Green Bay doesn’t have an obvious answer at center.
Seldom the Green Bay Packers don’t have at least an obvious candidate to be the starter at impactful positions ahead of a season. But that’s exactly the situation at center, as the decision to take Josh Myers in the second round of the draft five years ago still has its consequences.
Right now, the Packers have two centers under contract for 2026, but Elgton Jenkins is a strong cut candidate — unless he takes a significant paycut. That would leave only former fifth-round pick Jacob Monk as the only option, and he has barely any regular season experience in the NFL going into his third year. So, let’s discuss the Packers’ alternatives for the position.
Currently on the roster
As aforementioned, Jenkins is under contract. But he’s slated to make $20 million in 2026, more than the average of the highest paid center in football, and he certainly didn’t perform to that over the past few seasons — and particularly in 2025 playing at center. If he’s willing to make much less than that, Green Bay might decide to keep him.
Jacob Monk had been underwhelming over his past two seasons, not getting a snap while the Packers were moving tackles to play guard. However, Monk had his first chance against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18 and performed relatively well, especially in run blocking, which gives him a shot entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Old friends
After Elgton Jenkins got hurt, Sean Rhyan took over and played solid football at center — even better than Jenkins in run blocking. He’s not a high-end piece, but can offer competent play. The problem is Rhyan is set to hit free agency, so the Packers would have to pay him — Spotrac projects he will get a three-year, $19.6 million deal ($6.5 million a year). If the Packers cut Jenkins, bringing back Rhyan would be much more viable.
For depth purposes, the Packers can also keep veteran Lecitus Smith, who finished the season on the active roster and is set to be an exclusive-rights free agent.
Free agency
Baltimore Ravens’ Tyler Linderbaum is not expected to ultimately make it to free agency, so let’s be realistic here. The other options in free agency are Connor McGovern (Buffalo Bills), Cade Mays (Carolina Panthers), and Ethan Pocic (Cleveland Browns). They are all expected to be more expensive than Rhyan, but less expensive than what Jenkins is set to be.
On Over the Cap’s list of cut candidates, Washington Commanders’ Tyler Biadasz and San Francisco 49ers’ Jake Brendel would be possibilities as well.
Draft
This is a much more complicated option, especially considering how the Packers don’t tend to prefer starting rookies — and if they do that, it has to be a higher pick like Myers was. The top prospect of the class according to ESPN’s Field Yates is Logan Jones, from Iowa, and we had him mocked for the Packers recently.
The other top prospects for Yates are Auburn’s Connor Lew, Texas A&M’s Trey Zuhn III, Florida’s Jake Slaughter, and Alabama’s Parker Brailsford.
The Packers will probably add multiple centers to the roster this offseason, and competition should determine who actually wins the job. But it’s not a comfortable situation based on the long-term view the team tends to like.
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