Chicago Bears Breakout Candidate No. 3: Teven Jenkins
On paper, the Bears’ offensive line got significantly worse this offseason. Swapping James Daniels for Lucas Patrick is a net loss, and Jason Peters was the team’s best tackle in 2021. If there is any hope for their unit to improve, it will have to come from development, and there isn’t a better candidate for that than Teven Jenkins.
In the 2021 draft, Jenkins was viewed as a first-round talent that miraculously slipped to the second round. But when something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Bears fans learned that the hard way when Jenkins missed most of his rookie season after having back surgery. The good thing is that Jenkins seems back to full health and will finally have a chance to show what he can do at the NFL level.
One of the biggest strengths in Jenkins’ game is versatility. He can play both guard and tackle, which is especially valuable for a unit that still has a lot of question marks entering training camp. Given the lack is stability at the position, as well as the handful of offensive linemen selected in last month’s draft, the possible starting offensive line combinations are endless. Where Jenkins plays in 2022 may depend more on the team’s need than anything else.
If there is anything to take away from Jenkins’ play at Oklahoma State, it’s that he breathes violence on the football field. His physicality and high motor on a play-to-play basis are as good as it gets. With that said, Jenkins’ aggression should not be confused with recklessness. He stays technically savvy and has solid fundamentals. Jenkins’ attitude and intensity is something that his teammates can feed off of, but most importantly, the pure talent he possesses gives him a chance to be a building block for the franchise’s future.