After two long seasons of a challenging introduction to the NFL, Teven Jenkins has found a home — at left guard. For now.
Jenkins, a 2021 second-round draft pick, is starting at left guard after starting 11 games at right guard last season. He was drafted as a tackle out of Oklahoma State, but started just two games at left tackle as a rookie in 2021 after missing most of the season following back surgery.
Even when he rejuvenated his career at guard last year, he still considered himself a tackle. But not anymore.
“I feel like a guard now,” Jenkins said. “Maybe I can do the emergency tackle if it ever come down to it. But right now, I’d say I’d label myself as a guard.”
But it wasn’t easy to come to that reality. And it sounds like he’s still got a little bit of a tackle identity deep down. So stay tuned.
“In your heart, you want to fight for ‘That’s what I used to be.’ You live in the past,” Jenkins said, “I need to look forward. Right now, for me, it’s gonna be at guard. That’s my title right now.”
This is the first time — knock on wood — that Jenkins has started a season with a dedicated position and starting job. He sounded most happy about that.
“It lets me actually get good at my craft,” Jenkins said. “It feels good because I can actually work on one thing instead of trying to flip-flop both sides and make sure I have equal work on both sides.”
[Crappy] Packer fans
Bears tight end Robert Tonyan, who played his first five seasons in the NFL with the Packers, was pleasantly amused by teammate Justin Jones’ rant about [crappy] Packers fans on Tuesday [“Half of them don’t even know football,”].
“I think JJ is a little opinionated on that. I like that. I like that fire in him,” Tonyan said. “But you can say just about anything about any fan base. The rivalry is huge. It’s one of the strongest in the NFL, so there’s obviously going to be that banter for sure.”
Mini-camp highlights
Wide receiver DJ Moore made the play of the day with a go-up-and-get-it snag of a perfectly thrown downfield pass from Fields to beat cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and safety Elijah Hicks. … Tight end Cole Kmet had a nice catch from Fields over the middle … Safety Jaquan Brisker intercepted Fields for a presumed Pick-6 on a Fields overthrow of Kmet over the middle. … Moore drew a pass interference call on a deep ball in the two-minute drill, which ended with a winning field goal for the offense.
Claypool, Mooney still out
Wide receivers Chase Claypool (soft-tissue injury) and Darnell Mooney (ankle) and linebacker Jack Sanborn did not participate in Wednesday’s practice — though all three players are expected to be ready for training camp.
Also not participating were rookie cornerback Terell Smith, linebacker Sterling Weatherford, tight end Chase Allen and defensive lineman Jalyn Holmes.