The Green Bay Packers thought they would be set when they moved a Pro Bowl veteran to a new position over the offseason. Unfortunately, things have not worked out as the team had hoped. In fact, the move backfired because this Packers veteran has struggled through a disappointing first half of the 2025 season.

This Packers Veteran Has Struggled Through a Disappointing First Half: How We Got Here

GM Brian Gutekunst had decisions to make after the 2024 season ended. Josh Myers had started at center for the previous four years, but he never lived up to the expectations that went along with being a second-round draft pick. Ultimately, Gutekunst opted to let Myers go as a free agent. The rest of the NFL also had minimal interest in Myers, and he ended up signing with the New York Jets for close to the league veteran minimum.

Once Gutekunst opted to move on from Myers, he needed to figure out how to fill the center position. His decision was to move Pro Bowl left guard Elgton Jenkins to center and to sign free agent guard Aaron Banks to take over at left guard.

Head coach Matt LaFleur has always indicated he wanted the best five offensive linemen on the field. Gutekunst has stressed adding players with the versatility to play multiple positions. Jenkins and Zach Tom are the best example of this. Both are capable of playing all five positions along the offensive line.

Gutekunst also selected offensive tackle Anthony Belton in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The goal was to add size to the offensive line and to be more physical and to improve their power run blocking.

What Went Wrong So Far

Unfortunately, things haven’t gone according to plan along the offensive line. One reason has been the disappointing play of Jenkins. Jenkins has still been solid in pass protection, but his run blocking, which was good at left guard, has been well below average at center according to Pro Football Focus.

Jenkins himself admitted he’s been disappointed with his play in the early part of the season. “I feel like I’ve played like [bleep], honestly,” Jenkins, a three-time Pro Bowler who’s in his first season as the team’s center, said this week. “I can play a lot better. A lot of things, a lot of small detail things that I can fix overall. But I just feel like I’ve played like [bleep] and definitely got to play better moving forward.”

There are many factors involved in Jenkins’ struggles. A center has to call signals for the offensive line, something a left guard never had to do. That may have been what Myers did best, and Jenkins may be having trouble adjusting to this.

Injuries have also been a factor. Banks has struggled to stay in the lineup due to multiple injuries. Tom has also missed time due to injuries and played hurt in several games. Right guard Sean Rhyan has also had a disappointing season and has lost the starting job to former first-round pick Jordan Morgan. Morgan has been inconsistent but he’s still playing better than Rhyan most of the time.

Still, the results for Jenkins and the offensive line as a whole have been well below expectations when blocking for the run. As a result, the Packers average yards per attempt has dropped from 4.7-yards per rush last season, which ranked 6th in the league, to 4.0 this season, ranking them 24th.

This Packers Veteran Has Struggled Through a Disappointing First Half: Looking Ahead

Staying healthy would be one way to improve the play of the offensive line. More than any other unit, offensive lines need cohesion and continuity to work together. Obviously, injuries in the NFL are inevitable, so staying healthy is not guaranteed. The healthier they can stay, the better.

Jenkins needs to regain his form. There is a lot on the line for the former Mississippi State star. He carries a cap hit of $24.8 million in 2026. If he doesn’t play better, the Packers will likely move on from Jenkins. They could also restructure his contract. Jenkins turns 30 next month so the Packers may very well be willing to move on from him if his play doesn’t pick up.

In the meantime, the team needs better play and more consistency from Jenkins and the entire offensive line. In the second half of the season when the weather gets colder, and the schedule gets tougher, the Packers will need to run the football better. The success of the season may depend on it.

 

 

 

Follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers

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