Down goes another cornerstone. Green Bay center Elgton Jenkins left Monday night’s 10-7 loss to the Eagles with a lower-leg injury that postgame X-rays confirmed as a fracture. Head coach Matt LaFleur offered little optimism afterward, calling the outlook “not promising” for the 29-year-old veteran.
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reported on Tuesday that the Packers have placed Jenkins on injured reserve, making the move official and sidelining him for at least four games while the team reshuffles a line already stretched thin. The timing compounds an ugly offensive night at Lambeau, one in which Green Bay struggled to finish drives and protect Jordan Love consistently.
The immediate football question is the pivot. When Jenkins exited in the second quarter, fourth-year lineman Sean Rhyan handled snaps the rest of the way and is the logical stopgap at center.
Expect Green Bay to streamline protections, lean into quick game, and build in more help on interior slides until communication and timing stabilize with a new triggerman in the middle.
The bigger-picture piece is contractual. Jenkins, a 2019 second-round pick who has been a Pro Bowl-caliber talent at multiple spots, has one season left on his deal in 2026.
If the club were to contemplate a cap maneuver next spring, the numbers are stark: cutting him would incur roughly $4.8 million in dead money but free up about $20 million in space. That’s a cold calculation attached to a warm-blooded leader, and the front office will balance health timelines against how vital he is to Love’s development and the run game’s core identity.
Fans felt the gut punch immediately. As Jenkins was carted to the locker room, reactions ranged from concern about Love’s protection to wish-him-well notes, with a few voices wondering if Rhyan’s extended look could spark a longer-term shuffle back to guard for Jenkins once he’s healthy. The common thread was unease about how thin the margin gets when a stabilizer at the center disappears.
Green Bay doesn’t have time to wallow. The Packers, now 5-3-1, head to Week 11 with a road date against the Giants and an offense that must manufacture cleaner early downs and stay out of obvious passing situations. With Jenkins on IR, winning will demand surgical game plans and mistake-free execution up front.
