Packers reach expected decision on two-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman ahead of free agency, but the ripple effects are significant
Elgton Jenkins has been released.
The Green Bay Packers had two obvious cut candidates. They were able to trade Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2027 fourth-round pick, but no deal was done with center Elgton Jenkins. Instead, the former two-time Pro Bowler has been released. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first one to report the update.
A second-round pick back in 2019, Jenkins was a solid part of the Packers’ offensive line plan for years. He played 4,161 snaps at left guard, 906 at center, 524 at left tackle, 374 at right tackle, and two at right guard. But the financial burden of his contract was just too big to justify his recent level of performance.
Financial impact
By releasing Elgton Jenkins, who was in the final year of his contract, the Packers cleared up $19.529 million in cap space, with only $4.8 million in dead money. While Jenkins was still a viable starting offensive lineman and that has value, it didn’t make sense for the Packers to keep him around considering the financial circumstances.
The Packers opted to give Sean Rhyan a three-year, $33 million contract. Jenkins is coming off a serious leg injury — fractured fibula and associated ligament damage. Rhyan started at center down the stretch and actually outplayed Jenkins, prompting this sequence of decisions. Green Bay also has Jacob Monk at center on the depth chart, but drafting a player there to add more long-term competition is certainly on the table.
Jenkins played some tackle early in his career, but left guard was always his primary position. Last offseason, though, the Packers decided to sign Aaron Banks and moved Jenkins to center, allowing Josh Myers to walk in free agency. The veteran didn’t perform at a high level at his new position, and at 30 years old, it was hard to keep him around.
Elgton Jenkins will most likely find a new home in his NFL career, but his journey with the Green Bay Packers is predictably over.
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