Chicago Bears veteran minicamp: Teven Jenkins is ready to attack his transition to left guard

LAKE FOREST – Within five minutes of the Bears signing veteran free agent guard Nate Davis in March, Teven Jenkins saw an incoming phone call. Offensive line coach Chris Morgan was on the line.

Things change fast in the NFL. With the Bears signing a veteran guard, Jenkins could’ve been thinking that he might be out of a job. Instead, Morgan told him that he was moving from right guard to left guard.

In Jenkins’ mind, the preparation began immediately. Jenkins had about three weeks before organized team activities began.

“It gave me time to actually work on my footwork and my mentality,” Jenkins said. “I got back in my playbook. Had to flip [the plays] because certain plays are going this way, and now they have to go this way. My whole mindset had to change.”

The transition from the right side to the left appears to be going well for Jenkins, who spoke Wednesday at Halas Hall after finishing practice during the second day of veteran minicamp.

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That position switch is all about the footwork. Jenkins spent the past year learning how to be a right guard. Now he has to take all those techniques he learned and flip them from right foot to left and vice versa.

The 25-year-old said it’s still a transition. He’s looking forward to continuing to work on his footwork during the month break between the end of veteran minicamp and the beginning of training camp in late July.

Maybe more importantly, Jenkins said he finally feels comfortable identifying as a guard. He originally came into the NFL as a second-round pick expecting to play tackle, and the old Bears leadership under Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy envisioned Jenkins as a left tackle. New general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus tried Jenkins at tackle at the beginning of training camp last summer, but elected to move him to guard instead.

In the NFL, tackles make the big money on the offensive line. Tackles generally are seen as the best linemen. The transition worked – Jenkins cemented a role as a starter at guard – but it certainly took time for him to come to grips with what that meant.

“In your heart, you know, you want to fight for ‘that’s who I used to be,’” Jenkins said. “You live in the past. I need to look forward. Right now, for me, it’s going to be at guard. That’s my title right now.”

“I need to look forward. Right now, for me, it’s going to be at guard. That’s my title right now.”

—  Teven Jenkins, Bears offensive lineman

Now, Jenkins looks like the surefire starting left guard in the Bears’ 2023 lineup. Davis has played almost exclusively at right guard in recent years, so it made the most sense to leave him there.

With Jenkins, injuries have been a big part of his story so far. He spent his offseason working extensively to strengthen the muscles in his neck and back, two spots where he has dealt with injuries in the past. Jenkins missed the first 11 games of his rookie season with a back injury in 2021. Last season, he missed four games with various injuries, notably a neck injury late in the year when he had to be stretchered off the field.

Jenkins said he has focused on the small muscles in his neck and back that nobody thinks about. He’s a big pilates fan, too, which has helped strengthen his core.

“The whole theme for this offseason was mind, body and spirit and how I can do that better as an individual,” Eberflus said. “How we can do that better as a team. And [Jenkins] worked on that. And he’s got to work on that this summer, like we said, those 40 days [off]. It’s all about being a pro and taking care of your body.”

Minicamp update: There were no surprise absences Wednesday at Halas Hall. Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool and Jack Sanborn remain sidelined by injuries, along with rookie cornerback Terell Smith, tight end Chase Allen and receiver Joe Reed. The Bears are being extra cautious with minor injuries this time of year.

Wednesday’s practice had good moments and bad for the first-team offense. During 7-on-7 drills, Justin Fields connected with DJ Moore on a tough deep ball against cornerback Jaylon Johnson and safety Elijah Hicks. That was one of the highlights. Also during 7-on-7, safety Jaquan Brisker intercepted Fields on a difficult throw into heavy coverage. Johnson may have tipped the pass with an outstretched hand before it landed in Brisker’s hands.

“I think we’re on track,” Eberflus said of the passing attack. “I really do. I really feel good where we are. We have spent a lot of time and attention on that as well, and we’re going to continue doing that during training camp. To me, that’s great to have those 7-on-7s, where you can work on the rhythm, the timing of it.”