Recovered from a knee injury and now situated back at left guard, Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins should have All-Pro potential during the 2023 season.
Jenkins, a Pro Bowler at guard in 2020, moved back to left guard in Week 7 last season and was excellent to finish the year. Now, he’s getting a full (and healthy) offseason at left guard without the looming possibility of a position change.
“It’s going to be fun, just being able to have a whole season, whole camp working at one position, just perfecting my craft,” Jenkins said earler this summer. “I’m expecting big things from myself.”
Jenkins, a five-position player, started at left tackle in place of David Bakhtiari to open the 2021 season but suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 11. He returned in 2022 but opened the year at right tackle before the Packers re-shuffled the offensive line again and moved Jenkins back to left guard.
It was a revitalizing move for the two-time Pro Bowler.
From Week 7 on, Jenkins played 621 snaps over 10 games at left guard. He allowed only five pressures and one sack. Of the 60 NFL players that played at least 600 snaps at guard over the final 12 weeks, Jenkins was one of only three to allow five or fewer pressures, joining All-Pro Chris Lindstrom and Will Hernandez.
During the first five games at right tackle, Jenkins gave up 12 pressures. After his switch back to left guard, he gave up only the five.
There should be no worry about another position change. The Packers have both Zach Tom and Yosh Nijman available at tackle, providing sufficient options should something happen on either side of the offensive line. Rasheed Walker, Caleb Jones and Luke Tenuta are developmental players who will get opportunities to fill important backup roles at tackle. Jenkins, meanwhile, can focus on what is arguably his best position of the five along the offensive line.
In 2023, Jenkins will combine with five-time All-Pro David Bakhtiari to provide arguably the best left side of the offensive line in football for first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love. To the right of the pair, Josh Myers will enter what should be his third-consecutive season as the starter at center, Jon Runyan Jr. remains rock solid at right guard and is entering a contract year, and both Tom and Nijman have starting experience and the opportunity to make a leap as a starter at right tackle.
Add it all up, and the Packers offensive line should be a strength in 2023. If nothing else, there should be valuable continuity up front that lacked in 2022. Four of the five starters look settled, including Jenkins at left guard. If the left side is dominant and the young players on the right side take a step forward, Love should be playing behind an excellent offensive line (especially in pass protection) during his first season.
Given the recovery of his knee and comfort of playing left guard, Jenkins must be considered one of the Packers’ best bets for postseason recognition entering 2023.
