Bill Lazor Is Blown Away How Fast Teven Jenkins Is Improving

Context is always key when evaluating a rookie. Teven Jenkins has endured a rough start to his NFL career. He suffered two back injuries since the end of his time at Oklahoma State. The second forced him to get surgery before training camp had barely begun. This resulted in him missing the first three months of the season. Then when he returned, he gets thrown into the fire almost immediately after Jason Peters suffered a high ankle sprain. His first appearance against Green Bay was rough. Four penalties and the main culprit on several pressures on Justin Fields. It was clear the 2nd round pick had work to do. Fast forward a week he faced another stiff test. The Minnesota Vikings had the most productive pass rush in the NFL. This time though? Jenkins was ready. He allowed just two pressures all night. He looked far more comfortable and confident. Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor for one seemed pleasantly surprised at how fast the young tackle has come along.

Especially in his pass protection technique.

[video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Bill-Lazor-‘Are-you-driven-by-the-sense-of-wanting-to-be-the-best-Chicago-Bears2021_12_24_09_19_25.mp4"][/video] People need to understand this. Jenkins was a right tackle for most of his time in college. He missed training camp and the majority of the Bears' season with back surgery. When he returns he steps in at left tackle and has one of the best performances of the season at that spot in his second game. That is a testament not only to his considerable talent but also the amount of hard work he's put in to reach this point.

There is a reason many draft experts had Jenkins rated as a 1st round prospect coming out of Oklahoma State. His mixture of size, power, and athleticism was hard to ignore. He straight dominated defenders for long stretches of his college career. There is a reason the Bears saw no qualms about trading up to get him in the 2nd round. They felt he had franchise tackle capability. Monday night was the first glimpse.

Teven Jenkins could be the key to saving Ryan Pace

Word is many at Halas Hall are already big believers in Justin Fields as a quarterback. The numbers may not show it yet but the rookie is progressing rapidly. He looks like somebody who is a competent coaching staff and some better weapons away from breaking out. Pace was the one who made that draft pick happen. Now it's possible Jenkins, his other big trade-up target, is beginning to ascend as well. Think about that. There is a possibility that Pace landed a potential franchise QB and franchise left tackle in back-to-back picks. If people were wondering why the McCaskeys are a bit reluctant to fire him, this could be a major selling point. Teven Jenkins still has a long way to go before people crown him though. One game won't tell the full story.

Still, it's nice to see him doing well after all he's been through.

If he stays healthy, the technique continues to improve, and he cleans up the penalties? This young man will be a fixture on the Bears' offensive line for a long time. It may not be long before he's their best player.