GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Elgton Jenkins wanted his move from left guard to center to come with financial benefits, but now that he knows the Green Bay Packers aren't going to do anything about that in the near future, he has accepted it and is ready to prepare for his new spot.
Jenkins, who skipped the entire voluntary portion of the offseason program, practiced Monday for the first time since the position switch became a reality in March. He had begun training camp on the non-football injury list because of a back issue he developed while working out on his own in the offseason but was activated shortly before practice.
Though Jenkins confirmed he hoped for a reworked contract, which sources said was aimed at guaranteeing some of the remaining money on the final two years of his deal, now that it didn't get done he said he's ready to concentrate solely on playing center after making a pair of Pro Bowls primarily as a left guard in his first six NFL seasons.
"They had a conversation, and obviously the conversation was going on for a long period of time," Jenkins said of his agent, Damarius Bilbo, and the Packers. "But right now where we're at is focusing on the being the best player I can be. Been playing this game for 20-some years, seven years in the league. I'm very confident in my ability and what I can do. The financial side, I know that's going to come. Right now, it's just how can we build chemistry within the O-line to get better and as an offense."
Jenkins forfeited a $500,000 workout bonus for skipping the offseason program. He has two years left on the four-year, $68 million contract extension he signed in December 2022. That deal has non-guaranteed base salaries of $11.7 million this season and $18.5 million in 2026. He said he has gotten no assurances that the Packers will rework his contract.
The position move came about after the Packers decided to let last year's center, Josh Myers, leave in free agency. Meanwhile, they signed free agent Aaron Banks to a four-year, $77 million contract to play left guard.
Jenkins has played every position on the offensive line since he came into the NFL as a second-round pick of the Packers in 2019. He started 16 games at left guard and one at center last season.
"There was definitely some rust that had to be knocked off," Jenkins said after practice. "I'm about to get the ins and outs of things, but I played it in college, got drafted here as a center. It's not going to be anything different. I played it last year, played it a couple games early in my career, so it's not going to be nothing crazy, and I feel like I'll be a great center in this league."