At Scouting Combine, Packers Considering Multiple Decisions at Center

INDIANAPOLIS – When the Green Bay Packers and Elgton Jenkins agreed that the time was right for a move to center, the expectations were as high as possible.

“We feel he’s got a chance to be an All-Pro center,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said at the NFL Annual Meeting in March. “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, but I’m excited to see what he can do at center.”

So was Jenkins.

“I feel like the sky’s the limit, honestly,” Jenkins said. “I can be an All-Pro, Pro Bowl, same guy – probably even better, honestly. We’re just going to see.”

Jenkins never played to that level. Now, 13 months later and with the 30-year-old coming off a season-ending injury, Gutekunst has another big decision to make. Will he keep Jenkins, the most expensive center in the NFL? Release him to create needed cap space? Or can the two sides agree to an amended contract?

“I thought he was playing pretty well,” general manager Brian Gutekunst told a group of local reporters on Tuesday at the Scouting Combine. “Obviously, the move to center certainly was to help the Packers and to help him, as well, and him getting hurt, really, I think we lost a lot of veteran leadership there when he went out, so that was difficult.”

The unofficial deadline to make a decision on Jenkins is the start of the league-year on March 11, when the Packers must be in compliance with the salary cap.

Elgton Jenkins Has Huge Salary in 2026

A Pro Bowler in 2020 and 2022, Jenkins wasn’t bad at center. Nobody in the NFL puts much stock in Pro Football Focus’ player grades. For what it’s worth, though, Jenkins ranked 22nd out of 34 centers who played at least 500 snaps. His replacement down the stretch, Sean Rhyan, was slightly better.

Teams do take PFF’s metrics seriously, though. Jenkins was 21st among centers in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, which measures sacks, hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snap. In nine games, he allowed two sacks; PFF charged him with one in 32 games the previous two seasons at left guard.

Jenkins’ decision to skip the offseason practices probably didn’t help ease the transition. Now, with Jenkins missing the second half of the season after suffering a fractured lower leg, a huge decision must be made.

As he enters his final season under contract, Jenkins ranks No. 1 in the league among centers with a base salary of $18.5 million, total cash of $20.0 million and a salary-cap charge of more than $24.3 million. With Green Bay slightly over the cap, there’s practically a 0 percent chance Jenkins will play with those numbers.

If the Packers release Jenkins, they’d save more than $19.5 million against the cap.

“We’ll see where that goes,” Gutekunst said.

If “where that goes” is the release of Jenkins, they’d need a center. One option would be re-signing Rhyan, though some of that is out of their hands.

“I thought Sean, obviously, pressed into that duty unexpectedly, I thought he got better each game,” Gutekunst said. “It was about Game 3 or 4 of starting at center, he was playing at a very high level. Less experience but more stout in there because he’s just a really physical, strong guy. With (Anthony) Belton coming to the right guard spot and him playing center, our ability to move people inside got better as the year went on because of that.”

O-Line Makeover Didn’t Work

As Jenkins tells it, he was the impetus behind the position change. Jenkins said he had told the team in 2024 that he’d like to move to center “later in my career.” At the end of the 2024 season, Gutekunst brought up the possibility.

“When they asked me, I was like, yeah, and they gave me some time to think on it,” Jenkins said during training camp. “Talked to them again and I told them I’d do it.”

So, Gutekunst signed left guard Aaron Banks to a four-year, $77 million contract and moved Jenkins to center. Along with using a second-round pick on Belton, the expectation was that the line would be bigger and better.

“Honestly, being here with the other three guys and then bringing Banks in, the type of player he is, a mauler in the run game, good in pass protection, it’ll definitely help us out,” Jenkins said.

That wasn’t the case. If Jenkins had excelled at his new position, the logical answer to his hefty contract would be to give him a contract extension, with that $18.5 million base salary being turned into signing bonus that could be spread out for the duration of the contract. Instead, the easiest approach might be to cut ties. If that happens, Jenkins almost immediately would be one of the more sought-after linemen on the market.

The Packers could then re-sign Rhyan, either to start at center in 2026 or provide interior depth. The upcoming draft class is strong with some potential Day 1 starters, Gutekunst said.

“My scouting staff knows these guys inside and out,” he said. “Some of us are just getting familiar with those guys, but so far I think there’s a number of guys [who could start immediately, like Corey Linsley in 2014] and that’s not easy to do.

“Corey was pretty exceptional and to take over a room and direct traffic, not only with the offensive linemen and your quarterback, that takes a lot and it’s tough on centers. Josh Myers, when he came in, that was one of the tougher things I’ve seen a young player do, but it can be done. I think there’s a number of guys in this class that are exciting.”

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