Bears’ Offensive Line Struggles Intensify as Star Player Absent from Practice with Injury
Following a challenging performance from the offensive line against the Houston Texans, the Chicago Bears began their Week 3 preparations for the Indianapolis Colts without one of their key starters, left guard Teven Jenkins.
Head coach Matt Eberflus informed reporters on September 18 that Jenkins would not practice that day due to a deep thigh bruise sustained during the Bears’ 19-13 loss to the Texans on Sunday Night Football in Week 2. His status for the remainder of the week and for the upcoming game against the Colts remains uncertain. “Teven Jenkins had a deep thigh bruise during the game, so he’s not going to practice today to regain strength and allow it to heal,” Eberflus said.
While Eberflus did not appear overly concerned about Jenkins’ condition, the Bears have faced similar situations with veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen, who missed Week 2 with a heel injury and was also absent from Wednesday’s practice. Thus, Jenkins’ status should be closely monitored until he clears the injury report.
The Bears were also without defensive tackle Zacch Pickens, who suffered a groin injury in the third quarter against the Texans, during Wednesday’s practice.
Concerns About Jenkins’ Injury History
The team is hoping Jenkins’ thigh bruise won’t impact his availability for the Colts game, but his injury history raises concerns. A 2021 second-round pick, Jenkins missed most of his rookie season due to back surgery and missed four games in 2022 from various injuries after moving from offensive tackle to right guard. He also missed the first four games of the 2023 season due to a calf injury and dealt with a concussion later that year.
No Changes to the Offensive Line Planned
The Bears’ offensive line struggled significantly against the Texans, allowing 23 pressures and seven sacks against rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. The interior line, in particular, appeared vulnerable, with Nate Davis underperforming, while first-round right tackle Darnell Wright and center Coleman Shelton also faced difficulties.
Despite these issues, Eberflus stated that the team has no immediate plans to make changes to the offensive line for the game against the Colts. “Right now, no,” Eberflus said when asked about possible alterations. “We’re focusing on continuity, consistency, and communication to improve our fundamentals.”
Options for reshuffling the line are limited. Ryan Bates, who could have provided flexibility at center or right guard, was placed on injured reserve in Week 2 and won’t be eligible to return until Week 6 at the earliest. Although third-round rookie Kiran Amegadjie could move from tackle to guard, he is still recovering from a quad injury sustained in college.
While the Bears might consider replacing Davis with Pryor, Jenkins’ potential unavailability complicates that scenario. Their only other guard option is Bill Murray, who performed well in the preseason but has yet to play a snap in a regular-season game.
