Expert Says Teven Jenkins Destined To Become NFL's Best Guard

When talking about the offensive line for the Chicago Bears, there is no more crazy story than Teven Jenkins. He was drafted in the 2nd round out of Oklahoma State. Many had him penciled in as the right tackle of the future. Then the Bears move him to the left side out of necessity before he suffers a back injury that knocks him out most of his rookie season. He did get playing time when he returned, but it was clear he had ground to make up. A few months later, the regime that drafted him was sacked. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus took over.

One of the first realizations they reached when practices began was that Jenkins didn't fit what they wanted at tackle. So he was demoted. Some wondered if he might be traded. Then they decided to give the kid a shot at guard. He looked surprisingly good and ended up becoming their starter at right guard. There he stayed for the rest of 2022, becoming arguably their best offensive blocker. Sanjit T is a popular tape analyst on YouTube. After reviewing Jenkins' film from last season, he came away with a realization of his own.

"If Bears guard Teven Jenkins could stay healthy, he has the potential to be arguably one of the best guards in the NFL. Now I'm not talking about, you know, a potential top 15 guard. I'm talking about potential top two or three guard. That is the upside that Teven Jenkins has."

Teven Jenkins made several strides in such a short time.

Most people categorized him as a bully in the run game. That much stayed true. Jenkins outright dominated guys on the ground at times during the season. However, people often missed how intelligent he was with his processing speed and how rapidly his technique in pass protection improved. He routinely won hand-fighting battles against more experienced defensive tackles. Even his athleticism stood out with his ability to make good pull blocks and reach the second level to pick off linebackers and defensive backs.

The obvious elephant in the room is his health. After missing 11 games in 2021 with back problems, he missed another four last year with hip and neck issues. Teven Jenkins will move over to left guard this year, teaming up with fellow young teammate Braxton Jones. They have a chance to form a physical tandem that opponents won't like. It comes down to whether he can stay on the field. The Bears believe in his ability, but availability is priority one in this league.