The writing had been on the wall for ex-Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins for quite some time. Be that as it may, the club's decision to extend Sean Rhyan was the effective dagger.
At long last, the Packers released Jenkins in what was one of the least shocking cap casualties of this offseason. However, he unsurprisingly landed on his feet quickly, reportedly signing a two-year, $24 million deal with the Cleveland Browns (h/t NFL Network's Ian Rapoport). It's hard because there was no shot at him ever returning to Green Bay, but that has to sting.
Seeing Jenkins get scooped up roughly 24 hours after getting cut makes you wonder why the Packers didn't just trade him. They could've turned a distressed asset into draft capital, as we've already seen them do. This rings especially true considering Jeremy Fowler of ESPN revealed that Green Bay had suitors for the two-time Pro Bowler, including the Browns.
Packers face instant regret after Browns waste no time signing Elgton Jenkins
Cleveland "explored" acquiring Jenkins from the Packers but ultimately "sat tight" before landing him without having to give up anything, per Fowler. The Baltimore Ravens were "also involved." Yet, Green Bay somehow came out of this empty-handed; make it make sense.
Of course, the Packers will look at the $19.5 million in cap savings created by cutting Jenkins as a silver lining. Nevertheless, they were simultaneously in a near-identical situation with veteran pass-rusher Rashan Gary. The latter netted Green Bay a fourth-round pick in a last-minute swap with the Dallas Cowboys.
Gary is younger and mans a premium position, plus he had one more year of team control than Jenkins. With that in mind, it's easy to see why the Packers managed to extrapolate some value from the former despite his shortcomings in Green Bay. Garnering interest from a desperate Jerry Jones-led Cowboys squad is also a notable factor.
Be that as it may, how did the Packers not at least squeeze an exchange of late-round selections out of the Browns? Jenkins is a proven commodity in a league starving for a modicum of decent O-line play. While his tenure in Green Bay ended on a sour note, he remained an above-average to solid starter.
Instead, patience pays off for the Browns, who were able to land Jenkins without giving up anything.