Teven Jenkins Ready To Maul Opponents in 2023

Lost in the excitement surrounding the performance of the Bears' Defensive Line during their first preseason game was the job turned in by several members of the offensive line. The defense was flying around the field all game. Eight sacks and four turnovers will get most of the attention. Frankly, it had been a long time since fans had witnessed the defensive showing on display last Saturday.

The first-string offense scored two touchdowns in only seven plays, then took the rest of the day off. Those seven plays, however, provided a small sample of what the front five can do. One of those linemen is left guard Teven Jenkins.

Jenkins appears to have found a home on the left side of the line between Braxton Jones and center Cody Whitehair. Now in his third year with Chicago, his journey has not been smooth sailing. He spent most of his rookie season on the injured reserve list.

In 2022, he was asked to make a move to guard. At first, he was opposed to the idea. Rumors popped up during camp the Bears were considering trading Jenkins. The situation calmed, and Jenkins went out and was, arguably, the best-blocking lineman in the group that helped the Bears lead the league in rushing.

The last thing Teven probably expected in the off-season was getting a phone call telling him the team had signed Nate Davis, who would be taking over at right guard. Jenkins was told he would be moved to the left side.

That call gave him time to work on technique weeks before OTAs began, and Jenkins took full advantage. He impressed throughout the spring and into camp. He only needed a few plays on Saturday to show he is ready for 2023.

On one play in Saturday's game, he buried the defender he was blocking. Jenkins has fully bought into his role as a guard. Several sites have listed him as one of the best young linemen in the league. This bodes well for the Bears.

News and Notes

The Bears have an off day on Tuesday. They will be traveling today to visit the Indianapolis Colts. There will be two days of joint practices with the Colts, Wednesday and Thursday. Their second preseason game vs. the Colts is Saturday night.