Not all the news on the health situation for the Chicago Bears has been bad. While losing Khalil Mack for the season was brutal, the team already knew they were getting one piece back. That is Teven Jenkins. The 2nd round pick came in with a lot of buzz after GM Ryan Pace traded up to get him in the draft last April. Sadly things went cold when Jenkins had back surgery. After wondering if he’d return this year at all, the rookie is back practicing. Olin Kreutz, like Bears fans, is happy to hear it.
So what comes next? As far as the six-time Pro Bowler is concerned, the path ahead is clear. First is determining whether Jenkins is healthy. That is obvious. If they get the indications that the kid is ready to go? Then they need to get him on the field as soon as possible. With the Bears sitting at 3-6 and their playoff prospects remote, the goal for this team is to play the younger guys to see what they have moving forward. Is Jenkins the long-term piece they envisioned?
The only way to find out is by playing him.
There is just one problem. The Bears have gotten solid play of late from both tackle positions. Jason Peters continues to defy Father Time at left tackle, logging some quality performances despite being 39-years old. Meanwhile, Larry Borom put together back-to-back solid games against San Francisco and Pittsburgh at right tackle. So if the team does look to play Jenkins, where do they plug him in? To Kreutz the answer is obvious. Where they originally intended to at left tackle. He explained why on the Under Center podcast for NBC Sports Chicago
Makes perfect sense. Borom seems to be doing well at right tackle. Offensive line coach Juan Castillo even said Jenkins seems more comfortable at left tackle. There is just one problem. What do they do about Peters? He is playing well and isn’t hurt. Can the Bears justify benching him in favor of the kid? Here Kreutz said the best thing to do was be straightforward. Explain the exact reason they’re doing it, which is to see Jenkins play. In other words, don’t bulls**t him.
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Teven Jenkins is a vital unknown to the Bears’ big picture
As of right now, the team has some answers about their future. Justin Fields looks like the quarterback they were hoping for. Borom might be the guy at right tackle. Cole Kmet is improving at tight end and Darnell Mooney seems like Fields’ go-to guy at wide receiver. This is a good start. Now they need to figure out if they have a left tackle moving forward or if they might have to alter their plans for the coming offseason.
That is where Teven Jenkins comes into play. There are only eight games left. It is a safe bet the rookie won’t play this week or on Thanksgiving in Detroit. That means the homestand against Arizona might be the one to watch. Six games should be enough time for the team to see if the kid is what they envisioned.
The longer they wait, the more questions will be left unanswered.
If Jenkins shows promise? The Bears’ 2021 draft class might go down as one of the wildest in team history. How often is it a team can land a starting quarterback and two starting tackles in the same class? Unheard of. No doubt that would go a long way towards helping Ryan Pace save his job.
