Right On Cue, Teven Jenkins Has Made Bears OL Situation Worse
It isn’t a secret at this point that the Chicago Bears have interior offensive line issues. Each of their first two opponents, Tennessee and Houston, has exploited this. Nate Davis has somehow regressed at right guard, which is saying something after his lackluster 2023 season. Center Coleman Shelton has some rough moments against more powerful defensive tackles. It was hoped Teven Jenkins, entering his second season as their exclusive left guard, could steady things. Yet even he has struggled with mental errors.
Still, at least he was avoiding the primary concern that has haunted him since he was drafted in 2021. He’d managed to get through all of training camp and the preseason healthy. Alas, all good things come to an end. Head coach Matt Eberflus broke the news on Wednesday that Jenkins would miss practice with a deep thigh bruise suffered in the loss to Houston. Considering the other concerns up front, this is the last thing the team needs ahead of a crucial game in Indianapolis.
Teven Jenkins’ hopes of staying beyond 2024 remain shaky.
As GM Ryan Poles and Eberflus have said, the best ability is availability. They won’t hand money to somebody they can’t trust to stay on the field for a full season. A deep thigh bruise doesn’t mean Jenkins can’t play on Sunday. With some rest, it is possible he can still go, depending on the severity. Still, this is another reminder that the guy just can’t seem to stay healthy. For all the talk about replacing Davis next year at guard, there is a growing probability the Bears may have to do the same with Teven Jenkins. It is good that they have three picks in the first two rounds of next year’s draft: that and $72 million in projected salary cap space. There is still time for Jenkins to change the narrative. However, it is rapidly running out.