Teven Jenkins has come a long way since his name was floated in trade talks during the preseason. He has performed admirably since moving to the interior and has even looked like one of the team’s most promising linemen in his new spot. The only issue with his play thus far is that we have not seen enough of it, as the coaching staff has opted to use a rotation at the right guard spot, where he and Lucas Patrick have seen nearly equal playing time.
Jenkins not only held his own against the San Francisco 49ers’ stout defensive line in Week One; he outright bullied them. He only allowed one pressure and made several key blocks that helped the Bears keep drives alive. Chicago’s offense seemed to be operating more efficiently with him in the lineup, which makes sense considering Pro Football Focus gave him a grade of 77.9 (eighth-best amongst guards) for the contest. However, he only played 53% of the snaps due to splitting time with Patrick.
His playing time dipped even further against the Green Bay Packers; he was only on the field for 46% of the team’s offensive snaps. While the play-calling against Green Bay left a lot to be desired, the running game showed glimpses of what the team’s offensive identity should be. The offensive line dominated Green Bay’s front seven all night and helped pave the way for a dominant 180-yard performance on the ground.
