NEWSLETTER
Teven Jenkins’ journey to starting Week 1 was unlike any other.
Jenkins went from starting left tackle in January, to right tackle in the spring, to reserve tackle to start the summer. But that sentence captures only part of Jenkins’ journey. Let’s not forget he was seemingly on the trade block while all of this was happening. However, things began to change on Aug. 7. That date marks the first documented moment in which Jenkins spent time at right guard. And 35 days later, we can make an argument that the move is already paying off.
After the Bears 19-10 win against the 49ers, Pro Football Focus made Jenkins the Bears’ highest-graded offensive lineman in Week 1. The second-year lineman was in a time-share with Lucas Patrick, but it was Jenkins (53%) getting more of a snap-share than Patrick (47%). Judging by PFF’s calculations, Jenkins seems to have made the most of his time on the field with a unit-leading 77.9 overall and 74.4 run-blocking grade that was best of the bunch.
And here is a wider-scale look at the PFF grades:
Jenkins’ grades are a bit of a surprise, to be sure. After all, he has been playing the position professionally all of 35 days. But the numbers above are a welcome sight. Traditionally, the move from tackle to guard is one that analysts have long seen as easy. But when you take into consideration Jenkins’ path to get to this point, nothing has come easy. Hence, my admiration and respect for his solid grading.
What’s next for Jenkins is unknown. The Bears might be wise to continue a development plan for Jenkins in which he gets a majority of the reps at right guard, but also allows for Patrick to get a share of snaps as he makes his way back from a hand injury that kept him out of action most of the summer. Fighting a two-front war of developing Jenkins at a new position while simultaneously keeping a veteran like Patrick in the mix has its challenges. But the Bears seem to have a blueprint on how to make it work. And we know all too well how valuable something as simple as a well-laid-out plan can be.
In the end, this is part of a one-game sample for a game that was played in a marsh. And PFF’s appraisal methods are just one useful tool we can gauge our own evaluations.
So, on the one hand, I don’t want to get too carried away one way or another with this snapshot. But on the other hand, it is important we give credit where it’s due. Jenkins grading out as well as he did is a testament to his hard work at practice and in the preseason. Again, it’s just one game. There will be sharp learning curves. And I can’t imagine it’ll be all smooth sailing from here. But Sunday’s game serves as a reminder that hard work pays off. It’s a lesson that Jenkins, as well as the rest of his teammates, can take to heart and apply in Week 2 (and beyond).
