Green Bay Packers: 15 best free agent acquisitions of all-time
By John Buhler
DL. (2003-10). Cullen Jenkins. 13. player. 49.
Best free agent acquisitions in Green Bay Packers history: 13. Cullen Jenkins
Cullen Jenkins may not have had the personal accolades of his older brother Kris Jenkins, who was a four-time Pro Bowler in his decade-long career split between the Carolina Panthers and the New York Jets. However, the younger Jenkins has something his older brother does not have: a Super Bowl championship ring.
Cullen Jenkins went undrafted out of Central Michigan University in 2003. After making a name for himself with the Cologne Centurions in NFL Europe in 2004, Jenkins would go on to have a huge impact along the Packers’ defensive line for the next seven years.
At 6-foot-3, 292 pounds, Jenkins was a movable chess piece up front for Green Bay, spending time at both defensive tackle and defensive end. He was adept at getting after the quarterback, totaling 29.0 sacks in his seven years in Green Bay. Cullens also had a recorded 54 quarterback hits and 40 tackles for a loss of yardage playing for Green Bay.
Twice Jenkins went over 5.0 quarterback sacks in a season playing for Green Bay. The first came in 2006 with 6.5. His best single-season sack total with the Packers came in what was his final year with the team. Jenkins had 7.5 quarterback sacks in 11 games for the 2010 Packers, a team that won Super Bowl XLV over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Arlington.
Jenkins would leave the Packers in 2011 NFL free agency, as he would sign a five-year deal worth $25 million to play for the “Dream Team” Philadelphia Eagles. After a restructuring to his contract the following year, Jenkins would opt out in 2013 NFL free agency to sign a three-year deal with the New York Giants. He played out that contract with New York before inking a one-year deal with the Washington Redskins in 2016 NFL free agency before retiring.
Overall, Jenkins was a good, but not great player for the Packers. He was a valued member of that vaunted 3-4 Packers defense that catapulted Green Bay to its fourth Lombardi Trophy at season’s end. He would be higher up on this list from No. 13 if he played his 2011 to 2013 NFL seasons with the Packers before he unofficially exited his prime.