Jenkins tries to put injuries behind him

Nobody was looking forward to the Green Bay Packers’ first-round playoff bye more than defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins. And when you get a load of the laundry list of injuries he’s been playing with all season, you understand why.

“I’ve had that ankle from last year that still bothers me,” Jenkins said, preparing to give the rundown before the players began their four-day postseason break, with practice resuming Friday. “Then I sprained both ankles. Both knees. Pulled a muscle in my side. Messed up both wrists. Oh yeah, my shoulder. Actually, I did both shoulders. I stung my neck on one side.”

Then, he forced a smile. “And on top of that,” he said, “little nicks and bruises and stuff like that.”

But more painful than any of his injuries to the uber-conscientious Jenkins is the fact he hasn’t lived up to the four-year, $16 million extension he received as a restricted free agent this offseason.

Having entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2003 and lived a paycheck-to-paycheck — when he was actually receiving one and wasn’t unemployed, working as a landscaper, that is — NFL existence his first three years as a pro, he desperately wanted to prove he was worth the money after becoming a starter late last season and recording a career-high 6½ sacks despite missing two games with the aforementioned ankle injury.

Full Story: Jenkins tries to put injuries behind him – [Chippewa.com]

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