Getty Elgton Jenkins of the Packers
He is not quite so outspoken as left tackle David Bakhtiari, nor does he play the glory position on the offensive line (such as it is), so it is easy to overlook Packers left guard Elgton Jenkins. But he is a two-time Pro Bowl lineman, and with Bakhtiari out, Jenkins’ absence over the last two games—he hurt his knee in Week 2—has been felt all the more.
But the Packers got a welcome bit of news this week when Jenkins was back on the practice field despite an injury that was supposed to keep him out for a month or more.
“I feel like our trainers, they did a good job, I did a good job, you know, staying with it and being consistent with it, the injury and just trying to get better,” Jenkins said after participating in practice on Tuesday.
He is not certain that he will be ready to go in Week 5 against the Raiders in Las Vegas on Monday night, but he can say, at least, that he is trying and his prospects for an early return are improving. He does have one problem, though: He’s gonna have to wear a brace.
Elgton Jenkins Working With Rasheed Walker
That’s not great, but Jenkins said he did it in college, wearing a brace every day at Mississippi State. “It kinda took me back to my college days,” he said. “I really don’t like the brace but I mean, if it is best for me to be out there and be functional, I will do it. … You can’t let loose, you feel like it is restricting you. It is what it is. I did it before.”
Jenkins will also get back to working with Rasheed Walker, the 6-foot-6, 324-pounds second-year tackle who has taken over for Bakhtiari. Walker has held up nicely now that he has a role to settle into, and a veteran like Jenkins should help bring him along.
“We growing. He’s a young guy, very talented,” Jenkins said of Walker. “We are growing, talking, making sure that the things I learned, I give that to him. You got to eb able to see the game within a game, and be able to play fast.
“You always gotta communicate, like with me and Dave, that was one of those things, big on communication—like, pre-snap or when we get on the sidelines. There’s always going to be communication with whoever you playing besides. Just knowing you got a long guy with talent but hasn’t had so many reps, you gotta make sure he stays locked in and on his stuff.”
Eric Stokes Back at Practice, Too
The Packers are also preparing or the return of defensive back Eric Stokes, who has been out since Week 9 of last season with a Lisfranc fracture in his foot. Stokes began the season on the PUP list (physically unable to perform) and now has three weeks to ramp up for the team must put him back on the active 53-man roster.
Of course, Green Bay can do that earlier if Stokes is deemed healthy and the team so chooses. Packers coach Matt LaFleur appeared inclined to get Stokes back in action sooner rather than later.
“I think our athletic training staff has done a really nice job of trying to ramp him up,” LaFleur said on Monday. “Granted, it is different than being out there playing 11 on 11, but we’ll see how he progresses. He’s a guy that, he has missed a lot of time, but he’s also played a lot of ball. We’re looking forward to getting him back out there.”