Elgton Jenkins’ absence from Sunday’s practice was not related to his contract situation, per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. The Green Bay Packers offensive lineman missed Sunday’s practice but was back on Monday.
Sunday morning, head coach Matt LaFleur said that it was not planned for Jenkins to miss practice, however, the team was going to keep the reasoning internal. It was later confirmed by Green Bay Press Gazette’s Ryan Wood that it had nothing to do with his knee, which prompted speculation that it might be contract related.
Jenkins is expected to receive a sizable contract in the near future. His rookie deal will expire after the 2022 season, and the Packers won’t want to lose one of the best young linemen in the NFL.
Green Bay selected Jenkins out of Mississippi State in the second round of the 2019 draft. He has started 38 games over the last three seasons, lining up at left tackle, left guard, center, and right tackle. Jenkins was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2020.
The Packers most versatile offensive lineman has been making strides in his return from an ACL tear suffered in week 11 of last season. He returned to practice for the first time Sunday, August 14, which was a positive sign for his availability to start the season.
So far, Jenkins has been doing individual drills and moving around just fine on his repaired knee. It is still unclear when he will be able to participate in team periods.
Schneidman also noted that Jenkins had a new brace on his left shoulder but was told it had nothing to do with missing practice. Hopefully, Jenkins will soon make a full return followed by a brand-new contract that keeps him a Packer for seasons to come, but for now, it’s wait and see.
