Elgton Jenkins, talentoso jugador de los Green Bay Packers, ha expresado su deseo de que el equipo revise su situación contractual si se desempeña como centro a tiempo completo.
Sources close to the situation reveal that this is the main reason why Jenkins has not participated in the preseason training.
Jenkins has two years remaining on his four-year, $68 million contract, signed in December 2022. That agreement was designed to pay him as a guard, and also to keep him competitive in case he played tackle, a higher-paying position. At an average of $17 million, he would be among the highest-paid centers in the league.
The problem lies in the fact that centers tend to have lower salaries than the highest-paid guards or tackles, which raises concerns for Jenkins about his future earnings, which could be significantly lower in the center position. He is under contract through the 2026 season, with a salary of 12.8 million dollars this season and 20 million in 2026, the year he turns 30.
The Packers rarely adjust contracts with more than one year remaining. A possible solution would be to guarantee a portion of the remaining $32.8 million of the contract, as only his initial signing bonus of $24 million was guaranteed.
The move to the center position came after the Packers signed free agent Aaron Banks to a four-year, $77 million contract to play left guard. The team has since maintained that Jenkins was agreeable to the move to center, something offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich reiterated.
I think he’s open to it. The conversations we’ve had with him, yes, he has a lot of experience there and was open to it, excited about it. So, ready to go.
Adam Stenavich, Packers Offensive Coordinator
When asked if the position change is the reason Jenkins hasn’t participated in the preseason program, Stenavich responded: “No. He’s not here for other reasons.” Jenkins has already missed enough of the preseason program to be ineligible to earn his $500,000 workout bonus.
The Packers’ general manager, Brian Gutekunst, commented on the matter:
We had a lot of conversations with Elgton before this, and obviously he played center in college. We think he has a chance to be an All-Pro center. We’ve talked a lot about how versatility influences our offensive line and having players who can move to different positions. And Elgton is one of those players who can play all five positions, so that’s a luxury. I’m excited to see what he can do at center.
Brian Gutekunst, Packers General Manager
Jenkins, who could not be reached for comment, has played every position on the offensive line since the Packers selected him in the second round of the 2019 draft.
