Although the Chicago Bears aren’t seeking to initiate talks just now, Teven Jenkins is prepared to begin discussing a possible contract extension.
Jenkins, who will play his final season as a rookie in 2024 with the Bears, has expressed his desire to sign a new contract and remain in Chicago for the long haul ever since the early summer. He revealed to 670 The Score in May that he had contacted the Bears through his agency to initiate talks, but he was advised to hold off until after the NFL draft.
In that interview, Jenkins reaffirmed his desire to “be a Bear for a long time.”
But for the time being, Jenkins and his representative continue to wait. At the start of training camp, when questioned about the status of contract talks, he replied that the Bears had turned down their desire to start talks after the draft and that the team had once again urged them to postpone such discussions until later in the season.
“After the team’s third practice of training camp on 22 July, Jenkins told reporters, ‘I was told I have to wait until the bye week to reconvene about it.'”
Bears Continue to Worry About Teven Jenkins’ Health
A 2021 second-round selection who turned 26 in March, Jenkins has been a productive player for the Bears since making the move from offensive tackle to guard during his rookie campaign.
Jenkins allowed just two sacks on 304 pass-blocking snaps in his debut season as a starting guard in 2022. Pro Football Focus gave him a high-end run-blocking grade of 82.2, which appeared to indicate his potential for stardom. Between 2022 and 2023, he switched from guard to left, but he continued to play at a high level even when the Bears asked him to play back on the right side for four games because of an injury.
But Jenkins’ availability rather than his playing calibre is the issue. The Bears’ debut season was marred by his back problems in college; following back surgery, they were forced to place him on injured reserve prior to the start of the season. Even though he came back and played 160 snaps to finish the season, it cast doubt on his future.
Jenkins has improved since then, but not to the point where the Bears don’t have to be concerned about him. He went on injured reserve prior to the team’s January season finale after missing four games in the second part of the 2022 campaign. After that, he missed five more in 2023, which included the season’s first four games.
Given Jenkins’ history of injuries, it makes sense that the Bears would rather wait until the middle of the 2024 season to begin negotiations with his camp for a new contract. If Jenkins wants the Bears to make more of an investment, he will need to demonstrate that he can continue to be a top player and stay healthy. He ought to get his wage cheque, if he can.
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