All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari envisions a Year 2 jump from guard Elgton Jenkins helping power a Green Bay Packers offensive line to another level of “dominance” in 2020.

Bakhtiari believes Jenkins, a second-round pick who started 14 games and was selected to the All-Rookie team in 2019, has the talent and instincts to be “as good as he wants to be.”

“He’s very naturally gifted. I think the thing that separates him is his instincts as a football player,” Bakhtiari said during a Zoom conference call on Tuesday. “When you can’t really explain why you’re doing certain stuff but you’re doing it, as someone who can relate to that earlier on in my career, that’s extremely effective. When you’re just playing fast and answering questions and you don’t really know why you’re doing it, that’s awesome because you’re not even thinking about it.”

Jenkins, the 44th overall pick, took over as the starting left guard in Week 3 of last season and went on to start the next 16 games, including the postseason. He didn’t allow a single sack, according to Pro Football Focus, and ESPN rated him as the eighth-best guard in the NFL in terms of pass-block win rate.

Overall, the Packers were first in pass-block win rate as an offensive line.

A jump in development from Jenkins in 2020 could put him squarely in the Pro Bowl conversation in Year 2 while also helping the Packers offensive line – which returns four of five starters – progress in the second year of Matt LaFleur’s offense.

“I’m excited. Year 2 is usually your biggest jump,” Bakhtiari said. “He has a chance to make a big jump in his career both on the individual side and collectively as a team, really propel our line to another level of dominance that I expect us to have.”

While Bakhtiari and Jenkins form one of the NFL’s best duos on the left side of the offensive line, veteran Rick Wagner – who was released by the Detroit Lions after a disappointing season – will attempt to replace right tackle Bryan Bulaga, the lone departure from the offensive line. Center Corey Linsley and right guard Billy Turner – and former starter Lane Taylor – all return in 2020.

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Any resulting domino effects of losing right tackle Bryan Bulaga wouldn’t include a position change for standout Green Bay Packers guard Elgton Jenkins.

According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, the Packers have no plans to move Jenkins from left guard to right tackle if they lose Bulaga in free agency, with right guard Billy Turner considered the “more viable” option to move out to tackle.

Jenkins was named to the All-Rookie team after starting 14 of 16 regular season games at left guard in 2019. The second-round pick didn’t allow a sack despite playing over 500 pass-blocking snaps.

Jenkins played mostly center in college at Mississippi State, but he also made starts at both tackle spots and potentially has the movement skills and length (34″ arms) to survive life on the edge. For now, he’ll remain at guard, a position he quickly mastered as a rookie.

The Packers may have to do some reshuffling if Bulaga, the long-time starter at right tackle, departs in free agency. Turner, who was signed to a four-year deal last March, has NFL experience playing right tackle and appears to be the Packers’ first option, but he also struggled for long stretches in 2019 and might not be reliable enough to handle right tackle long-term.

Demovsky notes the 2020 draft class is deep at offensive tackle, which could provide the Packers with potentially attractive replacements for Bulaga, who turns 31 in March. The Packers could also entertain bringing back Jared Veldheer, who made an emergency start for Bulaga during the playoffs.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers haven’t begun contract talks with Bulaga.

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The Green Bay Packers made eight picks during the 2019 NFL draft and signed several others during college free agency, adding an influx of first-year talent to the roster. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be going through and reviewing the 2019 season for all of the Packers’ top rookies.

Next up: offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins, the 44th overall pick and the Packers’ second-round draft selection in 2019:

Season stats

Jenkins took over as the starter in Week 3. The rookie started every game and played every snap the rest of the way, including the playoffs. During the regular season, Jenkins played 571 pass-blocking snaps and didn’t allow a single sack. Only one of the pressures he allowed resulted in a quarterback hit. The rookie finished eighth among all NFL guards in pass block win rate at 95 percent, per ESPN. He committed 10 penalties, including six holding calls and three false starts. Among rookie offensive linemen, Jenkins ranked fourth in approximate value, a metric developed by Pro Football Reference. At Pro Football Focus, his overall grade ranked in the top 10 for left guards.

Snap counts

Jenkins came on a rotational player with Lane Taylor in Week 2, playing 18 snaps. The next week, he became the full-time starter after Taylor went down with a season-ending injury in practice. The rookie played all 1,072 offensive snaps over the final 16 games, including the postseason. His 964 regular-season snaps were the fourth-most on the offense and the third-most on the offensive line.

Best game

Week 8 at Chiefs. Jenkins orchestrated the best game of the year by any of the Packers’ three interior offensive linemen. He showed power, technique and athleticism and was effective in all facets of playing the position. He kept a clean sheet in pass protection, dominating one-on-ones and often cleaning up stunts and twists with no issues. He was strong at the point of attack in the run game and showed a terrific feel for getting to the second level on combo blocks. He was also instrumental in getting out in space and washing away defenders in the screen game. This was the crown jewel of Jenkins’ remarkable rookie season and the first exhibit of evidence showcasing his All-Pro potential.

Worst game

Week 6 vs. Lions. Jenkins committed two penalties (holding, false start) and had an uneven performance as a pass protector, a rarity during his rookie season. Despite some issues, his work in the run game helped the Packers produce 170 rushing yards. A truly “bad” game didn’t really exist for Jenkins during his first season.

Best play

Jenkins delivered the key block on Aaron Jones’ game-winning play late in the fourth quarter of the Packers’ Week 17 win over the Lions. He got out in front of the screen and blocked up the linebacker without holding, allowing Jones to dart inside and pick up 31 huge yards. The Packers kicked the game-winning field goal moments later, finishing the comeback win and clinching a first-round bye.

Season recap, future outlook

Jenkins had a terrific summer, was perfect in pass protection during the preseason and probably deserved to start at left guard in the opener. He had to wait until Week 3 to become the starter but the wait was worth it. Jenkins immediately established himself as the team’s best guard, using an advanced skillset protecting the quarterback and ever-improving ability in the run game to power his way to an All-Rookie season. His transition from playing center in college to guard in the pros was seamless. He’s smart, powerful and athletic, with tenacity every snap and the kind of refined technique that will make him a quality starter for years to come. Jenkins not giving up a sack during the regular season was no fluke; he’s quick enough to handle lateral moves, strong enough to anchor against bullrushes and aware enough to sense twists and stunts. In the run game, he did his best work when combo blocking at the point of attack and getting to the second level to eliminate a linebacker. He’ll only get better in this area. GM Brian Gutekunst said Jenkins has the potential to be one of the franchise’s great guards, joining recent standouts such as Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang. That’s not an over-exaggeration. Jenkins truly possesses Pro Bowl potential. In fact, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if he made several, starting next season. Even a relatively small step of improvement during his second season will put him into the upper echelon of NFL guards in 2020.

Season grade

It’s difficult to imagine a better rookie season from the 44th overall pick. Despite a position change, Jenkins became a quality starter right away. Few guards in the entire NFL were better in pass protection over the entire season, he didn’t miss a single snap after becoming the starter in Week 3 and his run-blocking gradually improved. Jenkins laid a strong foundation for what could be a special career. In two years of drafting, this might be Gutekunst’s best pick. A