One offseason decision by the Packers raised eyebrows, but a closer look at Pro Bowler's history shows it was the right move

The center position has been a problem for the Green Bay Packers for quite some time. After losing Corey Linsley in free agency four years ago, the team went the young route, taking Josh Myers in the second round of the draft to be a starter from Day 1. It didn't pan out, and now he is with the New York Jets.

The plan was a reshuffle of the offensive line. The Packers signed Aaron Banks in free agency to play left guard, moving Elgton Jenkins from guard to center.

While changing positions is a naturally risky move, Green Bay has a fairly good idea of what they will have. First, because Jenkins was primarily a center in college. Second, and more importantly, because he played 378 center snaps in the NFL — 297 in 2020, replacing an injured Linsley, and 72 last year, when Myers was not available.

"We feel he has a chance to be an All-Pro center," general manager Brian Gutekunst said back in March, confirming the team's plan.

Now, the Packers might have moved from a low-end starter to a top 10 at the position. This is how PFF, for instance, sees Jenkins. On their positional rankings, the Packers' new center was ninth.

"After playing primarily at guard throughout his NFL career, Jenkins will make the jump to center in 2025. He has logged just 378 snaps at center in his pro career but has experience there from college, giving hope that his overall ability will translate. Jenkins' 81.6 PFF pass-blocking grade over the past two seasons ranks second among guards." — Mason Cameron.

It's a little sad for the Packers that the first-ranked center on the list is Kansas City Chiefs' Creed Humphrey, whom the Packers passed on the draft to take Myers in 2021. But that decision has already been made and there's no way back. So, Green Bay is trying to find the best solution possible at the moment. And Jenkins is certainly a viable alternative.

Contract talks

Elgton Jenkins has two years left on his deal, but nothing left is guaranteed. That's ultimately why he skipped OTAs and is requesting an adjustment. However, the move from guard to center actually hinders his point.

Back in 2022, Jenkins signed a four-year, $68 million extension, a $17 million yearly average. The deal included incentives if he moved to left tackle, which never happened.

The problem is that making $17 million a year, Jenkins is already tied to Philadelphia Eagles' Cam Jurgens as the second-highest paid center in football, and just behind Humphrey at $18 million. And Jenkins' contract was even heavier based on the percentage of cap when signed. The guard market is much more expensive, and it's hard to claim a better contract when moving to a less valuable position.

At the same time, it's easy to understand why Jenkins wants the adjustment now. After he moves to a full-time center, it's going to be even harder to receive a better deal. Moreover, his salary jumps from $12.8 million in 2025 to $20 million in 2026, making him a realistic cut candidate if he doesn't play well this season.

These are complicated circumstances, and the middle ground is probably in the Packers agreeing to guarantee Jenkins' 2025 salary and putting an early decision date to keep him or not in 2026, giving the player a better chance to sign a solid deal elsewhere if Green Bay ends up moving on.