Logan Jones Is A Win-Now Option In the Draft To Solve the Packers’ Dilemma At Center

It’s an open question who will be the starting center for the Green Bay Packers next year. Elgton Jenkins opened the 2025 season as the starter. However, he’s nearing 30, suffered a season-ending ankle injury midway through the year, and could free up more than $19 million in cap space if released. Meanwhile, Sean Rhyan stepped in at center after Jenkins went down and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next month.

The Packers can realistically re-sign Rhyan if they so choose. Spotrac projects him to command roughly $6.6 million annually on a new deal in free agency, a manageable figure. Beyond Tyler Linderbaum, who stands out as the lone high-end option, the unrestricted free-agent center market offers limited upside. Given those constraints, it would be logical for Brian Gutekunst to evaluate potential draft solutions as part of a longer-term plan for the position.

Regardless of how the Packers ultimately approach the position, it is difficult to envision Green Bay not having interest in Iowa center Logan Jones.

Jones was tied with Florida center Jake Slaughter for the highest pass-block efficiency rate (99.4%) among this year’s center class. He has logged more than 2,800 blocking snaps at the college level, with his most productive seasons coming in 2024 and 2025 based on Pro Football Focus grading.

In 2025, he allowed just three total pressures — including only two hurries — across 336 pass-blocking snaps. That level of consistency helped him win the Rimington Trophy, awarded annually to the best center in college football.

“He’s the kind of guy we want on our football team,” Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz said about Jones in 2024. “Everything about him. Everything he does is with purpose. He’s really wired in when he’s working. He’s very popular with his teammates. He’s so invested. Comes from a great family, mom, sister, really good people.

Jones demonstrates uncommon mobility for an interior lineman, consistently playing with balance and control in space. He finishes blocks with an edge, looking to assert himself through the whistle rather than simply occupying defenders. Durability has been a steady part of his profile throughout his career. He’s also adaptable enough to fill in at guard if needed, a trait Brian Gutekunst tends to value in his offensive linemen.

The Packers have shifted their approach to building the offensive line in recent years, placing a clear emphasis on bigger-bodied linemen. Recent draft picks such as Anthony Belton (336 lbs.), Jordan Morgan (320 lbs.), Jacob Monk (320 lbs.), and John Williams (322 lbs.) reflect that philosophy. Meanwhile, Jones is listed at 302 lbs. on ESPN’s official site, notably lighter than the profiles Green Bay has gravitated toward lately.

However, the philosophical shift has yet to produce improved results. Green Bay’s offensive line delivered its poorest pass-protection performance in a decade. The Packers are unlikely to abandon a relatively new approach so soon into its implementation, but it warrants internal evaluation going forward.

Logan Jones is an older prospect and will turn 25 in October. However, as with the case made for Lee Hunter in my other article, the Packers are firmly in a win-now window. That allows them to prioritize older rookies with extensive college experience — players capable of stepping in and contributing immediately — rather than focusing exclusively on long-term developmental timelines.

We don’t know how things ultimately play out, but it’s difficult not to come away impressed by how clean Jones looks on tape. He currently sits at No. 106 on the consensus board, which should give Green Bay a realistic opportunity to land him.

Still, the futures of Elgton Jenkins and Sean Rhyan are likely the first dominoes in determining the position’s long-term direction. If the Packers move on from Jenkins while retaining Rhyan on a short-term deal, there’s a strong chance Gutekunst could target Logan Jones late on Day 2 or early on Day 3 of the draft.