Green Bay will have its preferred center in practice, whenever he comes back from injury.
Green Bay Packers center Elgton Jenkins’ mystery injury is actually a back injury, according to Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst. In his training camp-opening press conference, Gutekunst stated that was the reason the guard convert was placed on the non-football injury list upon reporting. The non-football injury list essentially means that Jenkins was hurt outside of the Packers’ facilities.
Maybe more important, though, Gutekunst stated that it is “absolutely” his expectation, based on conversations that he’s had with Jenkins, that he will be participating in on-field activities once he clears his medical hurdle. Earlier this offseason, Jenkins missed voluntary work in Green Bay and was a hold-in for minicamp, which allowed him to protest his contract situation while avoiding mandatory fines.
Jenkins is coming out of Year 2 of his four-year extension that he signed with the Packers in 2022. For perspective, he’s due $12.8 million in cash this year and $20 million in cash next year per the contract, which pays him an average salary of $17 million — less than both free-agent signing Aaron Banks and the recently-extended Zach Tom. Neither of those offensive line teammates has made a Pro Bowl, while Jenkins has.
As far as the other injuries go, Gutekunst stated that the injuries on the non-football injury list and the physically unable to perform list are mostly non-concerns. The exceptions are with receiver Christian Watson, who is coming off of an ACL tear, and rookie draft pick offensive lineman John Williams, who has a back issue. On the topic of Watson, Gutekunst said that the receiver, who is already running, is looking “great” and added, “He’s a freak.”
That should mean that we’ll get to see running back Amar Johnson (NFI), defensive end Collin Oliver (PUP), linebacker Quay Walker (PUP) and cornerback Micah Robinson (PUP) in practice soon. Apparently, Walker had an ankle injury that required a “cleanup” surgery this offseason, but Gutekunst claimed that he’s “maybe a week out” from practicing with the team.