The Chicago Bears still have some internal decisions to make before NFL free agency begins next month, including about right guard Teven Jenkins’ future.
Jenkins — whose $8.3 million rookie contract expires on March 12 — has been the Bears’ top-performing interior offensive lineman over the past two seasons, but his routine injury troubles complicate his case for a contract extension.
While Jenkins is formidable when on the field, he missed four games in 2022, five games in 2023 and three games in 2024 because of injuries. That’s tough to sell to a new, offensive-minded coaching staff, especially with Pro Football Focus projecting him to make about $13.3 million annually on his next deal.
With that in mind, a fresh start might benefit both the Bears and Jenkins, and ESPN’s Matt Bowen is predicting he will find one with the New York Giants — whom he dubbed the “best fit” to sign Jenkins for the 2025 season.
“The Giants could fill their right guard vacancy with Jenkins, a 2021 second-round pick for Chicago,” Bowen wrote. “He has the tools to drive defenders off the ball in the run game and he had a pass block win rate of 92.0% last season. He’d boost a poor OL in New York.”
The Giants finished in a three-way tie for the worst record in the league in 2024, and their subpar play in the offensive trenches was one of the biggest reasons why. Naturally, Jenkins should appeal to them as they seek out solutions.
That said, it is still unclear if the Bears will let Jenkins walk.
Jenkins has made it clear since last offseason that he is interested in signing a long-term deal with Chicago. If staying put is more important than chasing top dollar to him, he could possibly sign a one-year, “prove-it” deal with the Bears and buy himself another year to earn a more lucrative extension with the team.
Over the Cap projects the Bears will have nearly $80 million in cap space for 2025 after cutting veterans DeMarcus Walker and Gerald Everett on Friday.
If they want to use some of it to retain Jenkins, though, the clock is ticking on their exclusive negotiating window with free agency just around the corner.