The Teven Jenkins Saga Just Took Another Exciting Turn

Teven Jenkins has gone through the proverbial rollercoaster. A back injury in college ruined his chances of getting drafted in the 1st round. Then after joining the Chicago Bears, the 2nd round tackle suffered another back injury that knocked him out for most of 2021. He did manage to return in November and play. It was uneven as expected, but there were flashes of the nasty blocker the team coveted. The craziness somehow wasn't over yet. Before he could even start preparing for 2022, the Bears fired GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy. The two guys responsible for bringing him to Chicago were gone. The new coaching staff brought new demands, starting with alterations to his body mass: less weight and more quickness. Then late during Organized Team Activities, the latest twist arrived. Jenkins was demoted, going from first-team right tackle to second-team. Once training camp began, it got even worse when Jenkins went MIA. Matt Eberflus insisted he was out with an undisclosed injury. Others were hearing it was related to maturity issues. When he eventually returned last week, the tackle was evasive on the subject. He was only interested in playing football.

He got his chance Saturday against the Chiefs.

All things considered, he played well. There were some moments where he looked rusty, but he held his own. It offered hope he might still be in the mix for the right tackle job. Come Monday; those hopes were redirected. The Bears had shifted Jenkins inside to right guard. Then, for the final twist in the story, he got promoted to the first-team offense at that same position on Tuesday.

*Video is courtesy of Dan Durkin for All-22 Review. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Chicago-Bears-Preseason-Teven-Jenkins-all-snaps-vs-Kansas-City-Chiefs.mp4"][/video]

Teven Jenkins is finally in a spot that fits his skill set.

While he was very good at tackle for Oklahoma State, several draft experts felt his average footwork and length wouldn't translate well to the NFL. He was a far better fit for guard, where those two issues aren't as concerning. It also allows him to utilize his power to its fullest extent. His athleticism would also serve well in the new wide-zone offense Luke Getsy wants to run. If any move might unlock Jenkins as a player, this was the one. The coaches are ready to get an extended look at him on Thursday in Seattle. Michael Schofield is still the favorite to start at right guard, but he didn't showcase anything special in the preseason opener. Chris Jones railroaded him for a sack of Justin Fields, and he didn't generate any movement in the ground game. If Teven Jenkins puts on a strong performance, the window remains open for him to steal the starting job.