Packers' Elgton Jenkins admits Aaron Rodgers will be 'missed' in locker room
Elgton Jenkins #74 of the Green Bay Packers walks off the field after a game against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field on September 20, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Lions 35-17. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
The Green Bay Packers are already getting used to life without Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback, as Jordan Love takes over following the trade with the New York Jets.
The offense as a whole will need to learn the nuances of Love’s game and cadence under center, but none more than the offensive line.
Rodgers has the ability to dissect a defense simply by walking to the line and looking out on the field, which leads to multiple changes in line coverage at times. Elgton Jenkins learned that quickly when he came in as a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Green Bay Packers offensive guard Elgton Jenkins (74) looks on in action during a game between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers on January 03, 2021 at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. (Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
But he also learned about how Rodgers treated his linemen and the type of person he was off the field. That’s why he admitted to NFL Network’s "Good Morning Football" that Rodgers will be missed in the locker room this year.
"Just his presence in the locker room and the things that he brings to the game, the experience, all the stories that he had to tell and all that, he’s gonna be missed in our locker room for sure," Jenkins explained.
Rodgers’ impact with the Packers goes without saying. He is a four-time MVP quarterback with a Super Bowl ring and a future Hall of Fame resume that has never clouded his need to mention that he wouldn’t be able to accomplish all of that without good teammates around him.
Of course, Rodgers can be a straight shooter which comes off as brazen at times, but his presence demands a certain execution compared to others around the league.
No one expects Love to carry that sort of weight just yet, but Jenkins does believe that the young signal caller is ready for his first shot at starting in the NFL.
Jordan Love
"When he first got in the league, he wasn't our starter, but the way that he walked around the locker room, the way that he approached the game, he always approached every game as a starter," Jenkins said. "So we know that he's a good player and just ready to go on Sunday or whenever we play.
"In OTAs, I've seen a lot of good things from Jordan, a lot of leadership — he stepped up as a leader a lot — so I'm very excited for his future and ready to play with him."
When you play in a city that refers to itself as "Titletown," expectations are high no matter your experience level. Jenkins, Love and every other Packer understands that.
Meanwhile, Rodgers will be trying to bring his elite level of winning to a Jets team that is dying to get back into the playoffs and hold the Vince Lombardi for the first time since Super Bowl III when Joe Namath ruled the Big Apple.
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