The Packers’ multi-talented offensive lineman has put his contract issues behind him.
On the Packers’ first day of padded practice, the focus was mainly on a guy who wasn’t in pads.
Elgton Jenkins ended his holdout/hold-in/stint on the NFI list Monday, returning to practice after missing the start of camp and essentially the entire offseason over a contract dispute — a contract dispute that wasn’t really about the money.
We’ve been over this a few times already at APC (look here and here), but it bears repeating: Jenkins’ dispute wasn’t about cashflow, it was about security. No matter how much message-laundering comes from sources close to Jenkins (i.e. his agent), that’s what it came down to. It wasn’t about getting paid, it was about making sure the Packers wouldn’t (or couldn’t) cut him next spring when his cap hit balloons to nearly $25 million.
The Packers are fine with paying good players well into their 30s, but the intersection of Jenkins’ age and his cap hit is probably too much to bear, even if the Packers are big fans of his work. Jenkins can clearly see this; anybody with the foggiest idea of how NFL teams are put together should be able to see it, too.
Jenkins wanted security, but the Packers aren’t inclined to give it. That’s a tough pill to swallow for one of the longest-tenured members of the Packers, but it’s an unfortunate reality. He signed a contract that made him quite wealthy, and now the Packers hold all the cards, even though the circumstances have changed.
Packers’ Elgton Jenkins focused on position switch, not contract | ESPN
New contract or no, Jenkins is ready to roll at center.
Packers training camp: Elgton Jenkins returns and doesn’t care about the money | The Athletic ($)
More about the denouement of the Jenkins drama.
Packers letting versatile rookie Anthony Belton settle in at offensive tackle first | Packers Wire
Elsewhere on the offensive line, the Packers are trying Anthony Belton at tackle before sprinkling him in anywhere else.
Packers’ Brandon McManus Enjoying Profanity-Filled Training Camp | Sports Illustrated
The Packers’ kicker has been lights out and full of swears so far.
Even if he’s not in Green Bay anymore, Aaron Rodgers still has fond memories of Packers training camp.
It’s moo-ving day for dairy cattle at Michigan State University | Associated Press
They had to move a herd of cows around campus at Michigan State, and here’s how they did it.