Having seen time at left tackle and right tackle since being drafted in the 2021 second round, Teven Jenkins saw injuries interrupt his rise to the Bears’ starting lineup last year. And he has failed to impress the new Chicago regime this offseason.
With a path to a first-string tackle gig not opening, Jenkins is now working as a guard. The Bears have shifted the Oklahoma State product inside, Matt Eberflus said (via The Athletic’s Adam Jahns, on Twitter). This comes after the team used Jenkins exclusively at right tackle in their preseason opener Saturday, Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com adds.
Since his 36-snap right tackle outing against the Chiefs, Jenkins has been at guard. After working as a backup right guard Monday, Jenkins repped with the Bears’ first-stringers at the position Tuesday, per the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs, who views that usage as an open door to Jenkins being the team’s right guard starter in their second preseason game. The Bears had been using Michael Schofield as their starting right guard. Despite Schofield’s status as an 81-game starter over the past seven seasons, his veteran-minimum salary — agreed to at the start of training camp — with no guaranteed money does not point to entrenched starter status.
This has marked an eventful odyssey for Jenkins since he was drafted. After trading third- and sixth-round picks to move up for him — in a draft that had already included a trade-up for Justin Fields that cost a future first — the Bears released longtime left tackle Charles Leno. Jenkins’ back injury, which required surgery, changed the team’s 2021 plans. Jason Peters entered the equation. While Jenkins did return late in the season, he did not establish momentum this offseason.
The Bears are using fifth-round rookie Braxton Jones and 12th-year veteran Riley Reiff at tackle. The team also has 2021 rookie-year starter Larry Borom as an option behind the first-string duo. Jenkins was mentioned in trade rumors earlier during camp. For now, however, he will be tried as an inside option on a remade offensive line. This marks a rather late transition for Jenkins, who played exclusively at tackle at Oklahoma State. Schofield, 31, would seem to represent insurance in case the younger blocker is not ready for such a transition.
Bear down I guess ♂️
Nobody is wrong all the time except Ryan Pace. Every player he’s traded up to get has been an epic failure. Ryan Pace, The gift that keeps on giving.
Jury is still out on the biggest trade up for Fields. If that works out, his reputation will definitely rise up the board.
Fields will have to be a star to balance the buffoonery of Pace trading up (when allegedly no one else was gonna take him) for Trubisky.
He can be a total mauler at OG
I wish there was a safeguard for good NFL talent to not be drafted or traded for by terrible teams like the bears.
Kahlil Mack…. Yeah sorry Bears we won’t Allow this trade. Nobody wants to see this generational talent get wasted.
Justin Fields..( I mean he already absolutely sucked) but the NFL should have blocked the draft because the Bears decided to do absolutely nothing to help him out.
Telvin Jenkins. If you had went anywhere that cares like NE, Buffalo, Pitt or Baltimore, you would be healthy and a starter… however you went to the clown show, got hurt and now have to change positions
Hate on the Bears all you want but it won’t change the fact they have put more players in the HOF than any other team.
Bears started in 1920, most other franchises didn’t start till the 60’s. Not impressed
You hate the Bears. Wow. Not impressed.
No.. actually not at all… bears are actually my fav NFC team. But I have to be honest about how much they absolutely suck and ruin peoples careers.
Four wins at most for the Bears.
A QB that makes quick decisions makes Average OTs look great. Ask Tom Brady..
I think most HCs would prefer a good slow decision to a bad quick decision though.