The Green Bay Packers could have a potential problem on their hands with star offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins and his desire for more financial security.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Jenkins is currently engaged in a contract dispute with the Packers that has kept him from participating in the team’s offseason program. He has two seasons remaining on the four-year, $68 million deal he signed in 2022, but wants more financial security as he prepares to switch from left guard to center in 2025.
“Elgton Jenkins doesn’t necessarily have a problem with moving to center full time, but sources say the two-time Pro Bowl left guard would like the Green Bay Packers to make it more financially stable for him to do so,” Demovsky wrote. “That’s the reason he has so far stayed away from the offseason workouts, multiple sources told ESPN.”
While the Packers are currently in the voluntary portion of their offseason program and will not mandate attendance until their veteran minicamp in June, Demovsky reported that Jenkins is already disqualified from earning his annual $500,000 workout bonus — which requires a player to attend a pre-determined percentage of offseason workouts.
The Packers will hold their three-day mandatory minicamp from June 10-12.
Elgton Jenkins Worried About ‘Future Earnings’ at Center
The Packers made a somewhat surprising move to improve their offensive line during 2025 NFL free agency, signing veteran Aaron Banks to a four-year, $77 million contract with intentions to make him their new left guard and to move Jenkins over to center.
Theoretically, it was a smart decision for the Packers. They needed a new center after deciding not to re-sign former starter Josh Myers, but free agency offered them only a few compelling options at the position. So, rather than forcing something with a less appealing free-agent center, they signed another guard and aimed to convert Jenkins.
Unfortunately, the Packers could see the strategy backfire if Jenkins holds his ground.
Demovsky indicated that Jenkins’ concerns are “tied to future earnings,” which could be significantly lower if he moves to center. The average annual value of Jenkins’ current contract ($17 million) ranks him the 10th-highest-paid guard in the NFL, but the same value would tie him with Cam Jurgens as the second-highest-paid center after his move.
Jenkins also does not have any guaranteed money left on his current deal, which leaves him in a vulnerable situation heading into 2025 if his move to center does not work out.
To appease him, Demovsky suggested the Packers could compromise and guarantee Jenkins some of the $32.8 million remaining on his deal, but there is no telling at this stage whether Jenkins would accept an adjustment like that. And if Jenkins wants more than the Packers are willing to offer, it may turn from a contract dispute into a holdout.
Could Elgton Jenkins Pressure Packers Into Trading Him?
The Packers still have plenty of time to reach a new agreement with Jenkins that makes him feel more comfortable about moving to center for the 2025 season. But if Jenkins digs in and starts holding out from mandated activities, it is worth wondering whether he would attempt to force the team’s hand and pressure them to trade him away.
To be clear, the Packers are unlikely to give in to a trade demand even if Jenkins issues one. While he will turn 30 in December, he is their top offensive lineman and is capable of playing any of the five positions in a pinch if the team needs him to cover an absence. Keeping Jenkins in the fold gives the Packers their best chance to contend in 2025.
Even still, Jenkins could make things messy if he holds out of minicamp and threatens to do the same when training camp begins in July. The Packers have 2024 fifth-round pick Jacob Monk available to pick up practice reps at center if Jenkins holds out, but he is not an ideal starting candidate at the position, barring unforeseen offseason growth.
A trade request from Jenkins is still highly unlikely at this stage, but the Packers must take care to avoid letting the situation erode to that point since they essentially have all of their eggs in the Jenkins basket when it comes to the center position for next season.
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