Windy City Gridiron
We kicked off a 4 part WCG roundtable about free agency on Monday, and here’s the finale
The Chicago Bears currently have 31 total free agents (details here), so part four of our latest WCG roundtable is...
Who is the one Bear you would love to see re-signed that seems unlikely?
Jacob Infante: I’ll admit to being a bigger Teven Jenkins fan than the average Bears fan. I know he has had his fair share of injury concerns, and I believe his contract should come at a slight discount to account for the projected time missed. That said, he’s an above-average starting guard who plays at a very high level with the tenacity you want in a starting guard. I don’t think Chicago extends him due to his injury history, and I can’t help but recall the trade rumors and rocky start Ryan Poles believed he got off to. Jenkins will get a big contract somewhere and certainly deserves it. I just don’t think that deal comes from the Bears.
Ryan Droste: It’s gotta be Teven Jenkins. As thin as we are at OL, the added depth he provides is valuable. Obviously, Jenkins has never been able to stay healthy. But when he’s out there, he’s damn good. I’m sure he’s going to want to get paid, but if he’s at all open to a team friendly deal, I’d pull the trigger.
TJ Starman: Teven Jenkins. I just love Teven, I want him to succeed, and I want it to be in Chicago first and foremost. That seems like a long shot due to his injury history, and it probably isn’t in the team’s best interest to take that kind of chance, but I still would love a scenario in which this works out.
Bryan Orenchuk: Teven Jenkins. Mostly because he is likely to garner a good amount of interest on the market and I am not wanting to pay him too much, but if he would agree to return on a team friendly deal while also bringing in Trey Smith/Kevin Zeitler and Drew Dalman/Ryan Kelly and drafting a long term solution at LG in the first 3 rounds, I would be thrilled with our OL.
Aaron Leming: The way things went with Teven Jenkins in Chicago will never not rub me the wrong way. It felt like he was at a disadvantage from the start of his rookie year with the back injury, but then it felt like the new regime came in, and they got off on the wrong foot. When Jenkins is on the field, he’s damn good. The issue is that his injury issues have followed him all four years in Chicago. I completely understand why they are heading toward a mutual split, but I do wish things could have gone differently.
Mongo Peanut: Teven Jenkins. It’s unlikely because he is a player who is likely to be more valued by another team than his current team. I think Jenkins is a very good player, but...
