Chicago Bears offensive lineman Teven Jenkins has been the main storyline throughout 2022 training camp, and it's been for all the wrong reasons. Jenkins missed multiple practices at the outset of camp while he recovered from a yet-to-be revealed injury. He was the subject of trade speculation. He allegedly clashed with his coaches.
It's within a range of possibility that none of those things are true. Or, all of them could be true. It's been that kind of a bizarre and hard-to-follow saga for the former 2021 second-round pick who was supposed to combine with quarterback Justin Fields to make a fantastic draft class last year.
Teven Jenkins missed all of training camp his rookie year and appeared in just six games last season. His rookie season was a massive disappointment.
Jenkins bounced between starter and reserve in this year's minicamp sessions, and his second training camp as a pro has been an absolute disaster. But that doesn't mean hope is lost for him and his future with the Chicago Bears.
Coach Matt Eberflus met with the media Tuesday and offered his thoughts on where Jenkins is at in his career.
"You don’t put a ceiling on him. Let him grow," Eberflus said. "Let him do his thing because some people mature and grow at different times. And all of a sudden, they just grow into a player, they grow into a really good NFL player. And that’s for any position. We’re never going to put ceilings on guys."
Jenkins took reps at right guard in Tuesday's practice. In fact, he lined up with the first team; veteran Michael Schofield, who had some forgettable moments in the Chicago Bears' preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs, was bumped down to second string.
There's a long way to go before Teven Jenkins becomes a starter. But there's definitely been a shift in narrative. Jenkins now looks like a player who could play a significant role in 2022. It's a far cry from where his outlook was at the start of training camp. And that's a huge win for the Chicago Bears.