One big headline coming out of the Chicago Bears minicamp this summer is that second-year tackle Teven Jenkins has been playing with the second-team offensive line. While this has meant that the Chicago Bears believe rookie Braxton Jones could be a starter, what does this mean for Jenkins, who was supposed to be the future at left tackle?
Fans should not react immediately to this, because even Jaylon Johnson saw some second-team reps. The new coaches are just doing their diligence with the players and making sure they earn their spots. It could even be seen as a good thing that Matt Eberflus and his assistants are making the players work harder.
Teven Jenkins is now practicing with the Chicago Bears second-string offense
Still, Jenkins should be a starter this year, even if it is not on the left side. It almost seems that Larry Borom and now Jones could be the one and two spots at left tackle at this point with Jenkins possibly third on the depth chart there. It seems like Jenkins will fit in as a right tackle on this team, but he needs to solidify himself at the top of the depth chart after camp and OTAs.
It was a questionable season for Jenkins last year, as he only played in six games. He struggled early on the left side but looked somewhat better as the season came to a close. The hope was that with a full offseason where he was healthy, he would be ready to be the starter at left tackle. Still, there was always some skepticism about his ability to play the left side.
Keep an eye on the coming days of training camp to see if Teven Jenkins gets reps with the first team again. There is no need to panic because he is playing with the second team at camp. Obviously, the team has invested in him, even if it was from the previous regime. Jenkins on paper is one of the most talented offensive linemen on the Chicago Bears, and hopefully, he gets the opportunity to showcase that this year.