Elgton Jenkins on playing next to David Bakhtiari: ‘We want to be the best left side in the NFL’

When healthy and playing on the left side in 2022, Elgton Jenkins and David Bakhtiari were a dominant duo.

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Green Bay Packers left guard Elgton Jenkins wants to team up with left tackle David Bakhtiari to create the best left side of the offensive line in the National Football League.

“Just talking to Dave yesterday, talking about how we want to be the best left side in the NFL. Just us being able to play together, build on what we were building on, that’s going to be key,” Jenkins said Wednesday.

Both are healthy to start the 2023 season after dealing with significant knee injuries in 2021 and 2022.

Having Jenkins and Bakhtiari both available on the left side could be huge for a team transitioning to Jordan Love at quarterback and with young players at receiver and tight end.

“It’s going to play a big part of us as a team moving forward,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins returned to the left side after beginning the 2022 season as the starting right tackle. After moving back to guard, where he was an All-Pro in 2020, Jenkins returned to form and had dominant stretches to end the season.

Bakhtiari gave up only 10 pressures in 11 games at left tackle. Jenkins allowed only five total pressures over the final 10 games after switching to left guard. During the first five at right tackle, he gave up 12.

It sounds like left guard will be his permanent home for 2023.

“It’s going to be fun, just being able to have a whole season, whole camp working at one position, just perfecting my craft,” Jenkins said. “I’m expecting big things from myself.”