ESPN names Bears player the “X factor” for the 2022 season
A recent article from ESPN’s Ben Linsey assessed the rosters of every NFL team following a wild offseason and identified the potential “x-factor” for the Chicago Bears to succeed in 2022. Linsey was not high on the 2022 Bears, ranking the Bears roster at 30th in the NFL. Only the Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons were […]
A recent article from ESPN’s Ben Linsey assessed the rosters of every NFL team following a wild offseason and identified the potential “x-factor” for the Chicago Bears to succeed in 2022.
Linsey was not high on the 2022 Bears, ranking the Bears roster at 30th in the NFL. Only the Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons were ranked lower.
Despite being optimistic about the Bears improved secondary and draft picks Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker, Linsey mentioned the supporting cast around Justin Fields as the reason for the Bears being placed so low on his list.
The lack of big additions to the wide receiver room made national headlines, but Linsey also mentioned how the 2022 Bears will be without their two highest-graded offensive lineman (James Daniels and Jason Peters) from last season.
Even with Peters and Daniels in the fold, the Bears offensive line was ranked 22ndin the NFL via PFF grade last year. That ranking could be even worse in year two of Fields if someone doesn’t step up the fill the hole.
That’s where the Bears “X factor” comes in.
The article mentioned a player on the Bears that could be a the difference maker in the Bears outperforming expectations in 2022. That player was second year offensive lineman Teven Jenkins:
X factor for 2022: The 2022 campaign for the Bears will be about finding positives to take away from their young core of players, including Teven Jenkins at tackle. Jenkins played meaningful snaps in only three games as a rookie last year after missing the beginning of the season with a back injury. His first taste of action in Week 14 came with seven pressures allowed in a matchup against the Packers, but he settled in a bit in two matchups against the Vikings. A strong season from Jenkins in 2022 would go a long way toward raising the confidence level in this offensive line moving forward.
Jenkins is certainly a name that will be worth watching in 2022. As a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Bears fans clamored at Jenkins’ physical traits and bulldog mentality. On paper, he seemed like the perfect guy to bring in a pair with Justin Fields for years to come.
Things didn’t exactly play out great during Jenkins’ rookie season, though. He battled back issues and got surgery last August that sidelined him until week 14 of the 2021 season.
Even now, heading into year two, there are still mixed reports about Jenkins’ progress and role within the 2022 Bears. Some reports from camp claimed 2022 draft pick Braxton Jones was taking Jenkins’ reps with the starters, and that Jenkins was likely to be a RT with the second unit this season.
Others believe the starting role is still his to lose, and that Jenkins will take clear steps forward when the pads come on during training camp.
Whether it’s Jenkins, Jones, or anybody else, Linsey was correct when he wrote that a big x factor for the 2022 Bears will come from their offensive line. The Bears allowed the most sacks (58) of any team in the NFL last season, and have to develop better pass protection if they want Justin Fields to take the next step.
In order to do so, someone will need to step up in a big way. Hopefully that’s Teven Jenkins.
Image via Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
