The Chicago Bears offense already had talent questions going into 2022. Since then, they’ve been haunted by one major injury after another. Lucas Patrick went down for the year with a toe issue. Darnell Mooney followed him with an ankle. Khalil Herbert has been out for weeks. Now Chase Claypool and N’Keal Harry are missing time as well. Things couldn’t get much worse. Well, never say that because they did. Teven Jenkins, their young right guard who has played some great football in recent weeks went down in the 1st quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles.
It isn’t certain what the injury was, but it was severe enough to require him to be carried out on a stretcher while strapped down. Jenkins already has a history of back problems. It’s possible some of the physical activity led to another setback. Details are hard to come by at this point. All one can say is this isn’t a development anybody inside or outside the building wanted. Not only could his season be over, but there is a possibility his career might be threatened if it’s as bad as it initially looked.
The Chicago Bears now have more long-term questions.
It was hoped Jenkins was morphing into a nice piece the team could build around up front along with promising rookie left tackle Braxton Jones. Now GM Ryan Poles may have no choice but to reconsider those plans. New updates have since revealed it to be a neck problem. This is not good in any context. Everybody knows offensive linemen with back or neck problems rarely regain their old form. It’s the sad nature of the sport. Poles might have to include right guard as yet another offensive line position he needs to fix.
Justin Fields is a man on an island right now. Mostly scrubs surround him on offense. The Chicago Bears can’t hope for him to reach his potential if things continue down this path. That is why the 2023 off-season is so crucial. They’ll have tons of cap space and high draft choices. That should give them good opportunities to upgrade the roster. It’s now a foregone conclusion the offensive line will be a heavy focus for them. Right tackle, center, and now right guard may need replacements.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Praying for T Jenkins, young man deserves to recover fully and be back playing the game he loves. Jenkins was/is the heart and soul of this OL. Get well soon big guy and remember we love you.
Fields is just flat out amazing. They should have just given him the touchdown. I haven’t been so impressed with a player the Bears have had since Sweetness. He’s like Barry Sanders with a cannon. Now he needs to kick pat’s.
Need to add left guard. He can’t pass block anymore either
Ahhhhh Damn!