Teven Jenkins, a second-round pick in 2021, appeared to have a football future with a team other than the Bears for a portion of this summer.
Jenkins, who underwent back surgery and missed most of his rookie season, was working as a third-string tackle this summer after skipping the first few practices. There were rumours of trades, and it appeared that new General Manager Ryan Poles would change his mind about a player chosen by the previous administration.
However, things changed when the Bears looked at Jenkins for the right guard position. As a member of what Poles refer to as the "top five" that Chicago identified for their offensive line, he started the final two preseason games at the position and is expected to remain there in the regular season.
"We moved around quite a bit. On the team's website, Poles stated that "everyone knew that. "I think some nice things happened on the field during some of the games when we got to this point and he was in at guard, so I'm really glad for him and the improvement that he's made," the coach said. He's adjusting nicely, and I believe he will support us there.
Jenkins wouldn't be the first tackle to find more success after slipping inside once they are in the NFL, but the long-term viability of the switch to guard remains to be seen.
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