CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – NOVEMBER 24: Teven Jenkins #76 of the Chicago Bears drops as soon as extra to dam all via … [+]
No explicit particular person personifies the angst over the Bears’ offensive line higher than Teven Jenkins. His downside staying on the sector makes it straightforward to suppose Ryan Poles ought to simply let him stroll away as a free agent, considerably if the choice choice is giving him $10 million per you to hope he stays healthful.
Nonetheless possibly the Bears should discover a approach to be artistic and cling onto Jenkins for on the very least a yr or two, crossing their fingers he can stick with it the sector subsequent season.
A method or one completely different, rebuilding the offensive line defending Caleb Williams is the quick precedence for Poles and head coach Ben Johnson. The one really acknowledged amount is acceptable maintain Darnell Wright, given the left maintain Braxton Jones’ ongoing restoration from a damaged left ankle. The inside of the freeway, which was patched collectively in 2024, is anyone’s guess.
Jenkins, Wright and Jones have been the best devices of the freeway that Expert Soccer Focus ranked twenty fourth after being blamed for 37 of Williams’ 68 sacks. Jenkins was ranked thirteenth amongst 77 qualifying guards by PFF, making it three years in a row he’s been above the 14 finest in PFF grading.
When the Bears carried out the Saints in Week 9 of 2023, Jenkins turned in a 91.1 PFF rating, the best of the week by NFL linemen. He was virtually nearly almost nearly as good in course of the Commanders in Week 8 final season, permitting no pressures (or sacks).
The issue with Jenkins is never the standard of his work; it’s the quantity. He carried out solely 37 of the Bears’ 60 offensive snaps in that Washington recreation and completed the season having carried out 738 full snaps, which ranked fifty fifth amongst guards. He was 52nd in 2023 with 731 snaps.
Jenkins has had just one surgical course of with the Bears. Nonetheless that after extra surgical course of wrecked his rookie season and has led to his fame for being fragile. He’s missed 15 of 51 video video video games the final word three seasons with a wide range of seemingly unrelated accidents — a neck damage in 2022, which triggered his to be stretched off the sector; a concussion in ’23, and rib, ankle and calf accidents in 24.
The Bears seemingly would have signed Jenkins to a large contract extension by this diploma had he been extra healthful. He talked about at one diploma the edges have been anticipated to speak contract within the midst of the Week 7 bye nonetheless, inside the event that they occurred, these talks went nowhere. The Bears have been centered on his quick availability, not the long run, after he left one October recreation with a rib damage and one completely different with an ankle damage.
It’s unlikely the Bears medical workers goes to endorse an unlimited funding in Jenkins. Nonetheless given the issue of establishing an offensive line, Poles and Johnson would possibly wish to ponder a restricted hazard on Jenkins. He would possibly very successfully be a giant depth piece even when Poles lands three inside linemen by free agency and the draft.
Spotrac calls Jenkins’ market worth as $31 million over three years. Nonetheless he heads into free agency figuring out his damage historic earlier will most definitely be as various a problem to completely completely different groups as a result of it is to the Bears. Poles’ roster is in the meanwhile $65.9 million beneath the wage cap (fifth finest all through the NFL) and that full will in all probability develop to $75 million as rapidly as he releases a wide range of veterans (these candidates embody Gerald Everett and Ryan Bates).
Jenkins may very well actually really feel he has to check the market. He’s earned the precise. Nonetheless he’s talked about he desires to remain in Chicago. Presumably there’s a way to work out a artistic contract that retains him. Jenkins has been an asset, not a obligation.