The Los Angeles Chargers have invested heavily in reshaping their offensive line, but a lingering question remains: who’s snapping the ball in 2025?
While Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt, and Mekhi Becton provide a strong foundation at tackle and right guard, the center and left guard spots remain unsettled. Zion Johnson is experimenting at center after two years at left guard. Bradley Bozeman and Andre James are in the mix, but neither has locked down the job. It’s a patchwork approach—one that could cost the Chargers consistency in a make-or-break season for Justin Herbert.
The Los Angeles Chargers Should Be Calling Green Bay
That’s where Elgton Jenkins enters the conversation.
Currently in a contract standoff with the Packers, Jenkins is reportedly planning to attend Green Bay’s mandatory minicamp—but not necessarily to participate. The 29-year-old is set to move from guard to center, a position he last played in college, but wants financial guarantees before embracing the change. With two years left on a $68 million deal, none of it guaranteed, Jenkins is looking for long-term security.
Green Bay, meanwhile, seems reluctant to extend a player with more than one year left on his deal, and they’ve added interior linemen this offseason, including free agent Aaron Banks and two 2025 draft picks. If tensions escalate, Jenkins could become a trade candidate.
The Chargers should be paying close attention.
Jenkins isn’t just a center—he’s a rare five-position lineman who has performed at a high level at tackle, guard, and now potentially center. His versatility is elite, and his presence would immediately stabilize L.A.’s interior line while elevating the protection around Herbert.
With a rookie head coach in Jim Harbaugh and playoff ambitions, the Chargers can’t afford to gamble on development at the line’s most cerebral position. Trading for Jenkins may not come cheap, but the upside—a proven, durable, position-flexible veteran anchoring the middle—justifies the price.
L.A. has the cap space and the need. Jenkins has the skill and motive. If Green Bay opens the door, the Chargers should walk through it—aggressively.
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