While Justin Fields was a big surprise for so many when the Chicago Bears traded up for him on Day 1 of the draft, plenty of people were equally shocked when they jumped up for Teven Jenkins in the 2nd round as well. Several experts thought the Oklahoma State tackle was a 1st round lock. So to get him at 39th overall was not something people expected. Particularly the Bears themselves. GM Ryan Pace admitted after Day 2 that the team also had a 1st round grade on him.
Since then Jenkins hasn’t wasted time integrating into the Chicago lifestyle. He asked fans for help in buying his first Blackhawks jersey. He ended up going with Patrick Kane. After that, he asked about the best pizza joints he could frequent. Men of his size need their nourishment. However, the highlight may have been when he betrayed a little bit of his fanboy side. That came when he realized a certain former Bear followed him on Twitter.
I’ve made it 😭 pic.twitter.com/AhkQSITVbi
— Tev (@TevenJenkins) May 5, 2021
It seems Jenkins is a Kyle Long fan.
That is rather interesting. When watching the newest Bears blocker on tape, a lot of his game resembles Long. The power, the nastiness, the energy, and athleticism. Even off the field, the two seem alike with Jenkins being just as engaging with fans on Twitter as Long was and still is. It’s hard to say where his love for the former three-time Pro Bowl guard began but this showcases that maybe it was fate he’d play for Chicago.
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Long retired in 2020 after dealing with a myriad of injuries that derailed his Bears career. After some time away though, it became clear the fire still burned. He wanted to pay again. So after getting himself back into shape, he unretired and became a free agent. Eventually, he landed a deal with the Kansas City Chiefs to become one of their new guards. A nice turn of events for him. Now he gets to play with one of the best QBs in the business.
Teven Jenkins brings something back to Chicago
Something that Long provided for several years before he left. Fire. Passion. A desire to inflict pain on the opposing defense. One great thing about Long was how he relished being the tone-setter of the offensive line. Somebody who wasn’t afraid to get into fights when necessary. It seems like the Bears front grew overly passive after he left. Too easily pushed around and unwilling to fight back.
Don’t expect that to continue with Teven Jenkins on the field. This guy may seem mild-mannered off the field, but he has a reputation for inflicting pain on it. Few love to finish and pancake defenders as he did in college. He was quite good at it. Don’t expect mercy if you’re in his way. Having somebody like that next to Cody Whitehair on the left side could end up giving the Bears a dangerous combination.
He’s already starting work.
Jenkins has been in contact with offensive line coach Juan Castillo and digging into the playbook. He plans to attend rookie minicamps and start preparations on a position switch. After spending most of college at right tackle, he will be sliding over to the left side. Something the Bears made inevitable after parting ways with Charles Leno. That will be fun to watch develop.