LDN Sports -

Packers losing plenty of experience by releasing Elgton Jenkins and trading Rashan Gary

[March 10, 2026]

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins and edge rusher Rashan Gary were the two longest-tenured Packers on Green Bay's roster last year.

Neither will be with the team this upcoming season.

The Packers released Jenkins on Monday after a seven-year run in which he showcased his versatility while earning two Pro Bowl selections.

The Packers also are trading Gary to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2027 fourth-round pick.

Jenkins' release should clear about $19.5 million in cap space.

“Elgton established himself as one of the best and most versatile offensive linemen in the league during his time in Green Bay,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Monday in a statement announcing Jenkins' release.

“He contributed so much to our success over the past seven seasons and was a tremendous leader and teammate who brought an unselfishness and toughness to our team. We want to thank Elgton for all that he gave to this franchise, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future.”

The Packers selected Gary in the first round and Jenkins in the second round of the 2019 draft.

Jenkins primarily played left guard for Green Bay before moving over to center last year to make room for Aaron Banks, who signed a four-year, $77 million contract with the Packers in March 2025 after playing four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. Jenkins wasn’t as effective at center as he had been at left guard, and his season ended after nine games because of an ankle injury.

Sean Rhyan took over at center after Jenkins’ injury and has since agreed to terms on a three-year contract extension with a maximum value of $39 million.

The 30-year-old Jenkins started 94 games at four different spots on the offensive line during his time in Green Bay. He made 67 starts at left guard, 13 at center, eight at left tackle and six at right tackle.

He earned Pro Bowl selections in 2020 and 2022. During the 2020 season, he became the first Packers offensive lineman to start games at guard, center and tackle in the same season since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger.

[to top of second column]

Green Bay Packers center Elgton Jenkins looks on during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Oct. 19, 2025, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)

The 28-year-old Gary's 46½ sacks rank sixth among all Packers since at least 1982.

His move to Dallas marks the second straight year the Cowboys and Green Bay have agreed on a trade involving an edge rusher.

A week before the season started last year, the Cowboys traded Micah Parsons, who signed a $188 million, four-year contract with $136 million guaranteed upon his arrival in Green Bay. It was the richest contract for a non-QB in league history. The Cowboys also got defensive tackle Kenny Clark from Green Bay in the Parsons trade.

Gary was the No. 12 overall pick in 2019, two years before Parsons went to the Cowboys in the same draft spot. Gary had 7 1/2 sacks last season, but none in the final 10 games of an up-and-down year when the Packers were hoping he would benefit from the extra attention that defenses devoted to containing Parsons.

Parsons will be working alongside a different set of edge rushers this year when he returns from his torn anterior cruciate ligament. As the Packers were finalizing their trade of Gary, Kingsley Enagbare was agreeing to terms with the New York Jets on a one-year deal worth $10 million, a person with knowledge of the contract told the AP.

Enagbare, 26, had 11 1/2 sacks in four seasons with the Packers.

Green Bay's defense also is losing linebacker Quay Walker, a first-round draft pick in 2022. Walker is heading to the Las Vegas Raiders after agreeing to a three-year, $40.5 million contract with $28 million guaranteed, a person familiar with the contractual details told the AP.

___

AP Pro Football Writers Schuyler Dixon, Rob Maaddi and Dennis Waszak Jr. and AP Sports Writer Mark Anderson contributed to this report.

Back to top