A Chicago Bears starter might have played his last snap with the team after being injured in Sunday’s 34-17 loss to the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field.
The Bears have a short turnaround this week before hosting the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night. Following their prime-time loss against the Seahawks, Chicago will finish its season traveling to Wisconsin to play the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 5.
The Chicago Bears are predicted to move on from a starter
Brad Biggs with the Chicago Tribune suggested the Bears’ front office will not re-sign offensive guard Teven Jenkins in the offseason. (Jenkins exited Sunday’s game early due to a calf injury.)
“I don’t see it happening,” Biggs wrote. “The Bears cannot re-sign Jenkins and act like there’s any level of expectancy that he will all of a sudden have improved availability. I imagine the front office reached this conclusion a while back but as this season grinds to an end — who knows if we see Jenkins back on the field again — the reality is inescapable. He comes out of games too often.”
The Bears traded up for problems
The Bears traded up to select Jenkins with the No. 39 pick in the 2021 draft. Chicago initially expected Jenkins to play offensive tackle. He missed most of his rookie season after having back surgery during training camp. In 2022, then-head coach Matt Eberflus and his staff chose to switch Jenkins to offensive guard.
Jenkins has appeared in 45 games and started in 38 during his four-year NFL career. He’s started and played in 14 games this season, logging 738 snaps on offense.
Biggs thinks Jenkins can land a one-year deal with another team.
“The best-case scenario for Jenkins, 26, might be signing a one-year, prove-it deal elsewhere,” Biggs wrote. “If he can shake the injury bug in 2025, that might position him for a lucrative multi-year deal. I imagine every team is going to be concerned about his durability.”
The Bears have to replace more than Teven Jenkins
The Bears offensive line could be looking at a massive overhaul if the team decides to move on from Jenkins. Center Coleman Shelton is set to enter free agency. Ryan Bates has dealt with injuries much of this season, and the Bears could look for his replacement before he enters free agency in 2026.
Chicago needs to find three suitable starters on the interior offensive line before next season. (And that’s nothing to say about the left tackle position, which could stand to be upgraded as well.) The Bears also need to find two or more starters for the defensive line.
Much like in year one of the Ryan Poles regime, the Bears have to rebuild the trenches, among other positions that are lacking for the 4-11 team.
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