The hope in Chicago was that the Bears landed a starting tackle when they traded up to take Teven Jenkins in the second round of the 2021 draft, but his rookie year didn’t offer much evidence either way.
Jenkins had back surgery last summer and returned to play six games late in the year, but the offseason saw the decision-makers who traded up for him get replaced by General Manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus. That change leaves Jenkins with a need to convince a whole new group of people that he’s a piece they can build around in Chicago.
“It’s about earning trust and earning their belief that I deserve to be on this team still,” Jenkins said, via Alex Shapiro of NBCSportsChicago.com. “I’m working for that trust. That’s ultimately what I want to do. Putting more of that trust they have into me will make me feel more comfortable. I am working for that trust.”
Jenkins said the offense being installed moves at “a lot more faster pace” and he’s lost 20 pounds in order to make himself as good a fit as possible for the Bears line. Right now, his fit is at right tackle and the next few months will determine if that’s where he’ll stay under new management.