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Polarizing Bears Player Leaves Door Open Slightly for 2025 Return

By Joe Summers

Mar 16, 2023; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles speaks during a press conference at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Mar 16, 2023; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles speaks during a press conference at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
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The Bears have a significant offseason ahead, desperately needing to rebuild around Caleb Williams to put this mess of a year behind them. Most fans are focused on the search for a new head coach, but how Chicago addresses the offensive line is almost as important.

One polarizing player, fourth-year offensive lineman Teven Jenkins, seemingly left the door open for a potential return to the team. Originally a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Jenkins was a rare bright spot for the Bears, though he's injury-prone and may want more money than the front office is willing to pay him.

Some fans would be happy to see Jenkins leave, yet he could provide continuity and stability to a group that'll likely undergo major changes in the coming months.

Bears OL Teven Jenkins Leaves Door Open for Contract Extension

After being limited to just 31 games during his first three years in the league, Jenkins started 14 for the Bears in 2024, ranking as the 18th-best guard out of 135 qualified players at Pro Football Focus.

Even with Jenkins playing well, Williams was sacked a league-leading 68 times. If Chicago elected to replace the entire starting unit, no one would be particularly surprised. Jenkins told reporters that what he wants is a "toss-up" but noted that he hadn't had contract discussions with the franchise recently.

"I wish it went a lot better. A lot of things I could’ve done better myself," Jenkins said reflecting on the 2024 campaign. "A lot of things I wanted to do at the beginning of the season like leave no doubt for the contract stuff. But I didn’t do enough of my part to where now there’s still questions. So I failed in that part."

Based purely on his play, re-signing Jenkins would be a no-brainer. His injury history and the rising cost in the guard market make it a difficult decision, and it might ultimately depend on who the Bears decide to hire as head coach.

Regardless, Jenkins is a quality player who should have a list of suitors if Chicago elects to move on.

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