Why the Bears are Shifting Teven Jenkins to Left Guard and Bench Cody Whitehair in Favor of Nate Davis's Return
The Bears have expressed a willingness to explore all possibilities for their offensive line upon Nate Davis's recovery from his high ankle sprain.
Predictably at Halas Hall, they've settled on a conventional resolution.
With Davis's full return to practice this Wednesday at Halas Hall, head coach Matt Eberflus revealed Teven Jenkins would be returning to left guard while Davis would reclaim his right guard position.
Jenkins has excelled at right guard since stepping in for the injured Davis in Week 6. The third-year lineman has adapted well to the right guard spot, where he played the previous season, and has established a strong rapport with rookie right tackle Darnell Wright.
Ultimately, the Bears' optimal lineup, in their view, positions Davis in his regular role and Jenkins adapting once more.
Eberflus, discussing the Jenkins-Davis switch, emphasized the natural fit for each player, highlighting Jenkins's versatility and effectiveness on either side, which they believe offers the best setup for their lineup.
With Jenkins's shift to left guard, veteran Cody Whitehair now finds himself without a starting spot. Initially anticipated to start as center, Whitehair began the season at left guard due to Jenkins's absence. He was then moved back to center upon Jenkins's return but faced challenges with snapping and was replaced by Lucas Patrick in Week 6.
Patrick is set to start at center in the upcoming game against the Detroit Lions.
Eberflus commended Whitehair's professionalism, noting the difficulty of the decision given Whitehair's history as a captain and his significant contributions. He assured that Whitehair remains a vital part of the team's strategy and could step in at any point given his versatility.
There's a possibility of Whitehair rotating in at right guard during the upcoming game. The expectation is that Davis will handle the entire game, but adjustments may be made based on his conditioning upon his return.
Eberflus expressed confidence in Davis's fitness, as reported by the performance staff, but the real test will be his practice field performance.
If Davis remains on track, this Sunday will mark the first instance this season that the Bears' envisioned offensive line (consisting of Braxton Jones, Jenkins, Patrick/Whitehair, Davis, and Wright) will operate together.
Though returning Jenkins to left guard seems like an obvious choice following Davis's recovery, it introduces risk by altering the currently successful right side configuration. However, Davis's track record at right guard, backed by a significant contract to play there, gives the team faith in Jenkins's potential on the left side. Nevertheless, modifying a functioning system is always a bet.
With quarterback Justin Fields poised to come back from a thumb injury, the Bears, now nearing full health after the mini-bye, are optimistic about ending the season on a high note despite previous setbacks.
