Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals brawled on two separate occasions. Elgton Jenkins, Packers left guard, was involved in both and was removed from the field.
The first time, Jenkins was shoved to the ground by Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt during a run by Aaron Jones. Jenkins took exception to that, and it started a long skirmish between the Packers’ starting offense and the Bengals’ starting defense.
Jenkins was pulled from the rest of the drill. In the next competitive period, he returned and went after Bengals defensive tackle DJ Reader and took a swing at him away from the play. After which, he got escorted off the practice field.
“Man, he’s a jag, man,” Reader said. “I don’t know that guy. No idea who he is. I mean, I see he made two Pro Bowls, so good for him, but he blocked for Aaron Rodgers. That doesn’t make you nobody.”
Jenkins was not available for comment after the practice.
“I mean, it just takes away a little bit from practice, but Elgton totally was in the right the first time. I’m not going to say otherwise,” said Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari.
“You’ve got to protect yourself. Emotions get high. I know he’ll never do it in the game, and he’s never done that in the game. So, the practice, I mean, it’s a little bit different. You know you shouldn’t, but you also know; there are no consequences.”
Pratt said it was “nothing personal, just football.”
Before practice, Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he wanted to see how the session went before he committed to playing Love in Friday’s preseason game against the Bengals. Quarterback Jordan Love was making his first appearance in a joint practice as the Packers’ starter, and the first incident happened right in front of him.
“Man, I’m not sure how it started or whatever, but I tried to just stay away right there,” said Love. “I think I was talking to one of their players, and he was trying to hold me back, but I wasn’t trying to get hurt.” And he didn’t, so, Love plans to play “a couple of series” Friday.
The incidents raise concerns about discipline and conduct on the field and could impact Jenkins’ reputation.
