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Teven Jenkins' many Bears injuries eventually added up to quite a lot of money lost after he signed with Cleveland. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Embarrassingly low Teven Jenkins contract reveals cost of injuries

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI
By Gene Chamberlain | Last updated Mar 26, 2025 10:39 AM ET

Availability is the best ability has been trumpeted at Halas Hall since the Lovie Smith era if not before, and within the league as a whole for decades.

What's it actually worth?

Bears coaches always appreciated the skill level and talent of former guard Teven Jenkins but couldn't rely on him because of his poor record for availability.

Now it's apparent how much Jenkins' frequent injuries and departures from games meant..

Teven Jenkins isnt good at football on top of being incredibly injury prone, somehow this is a hot take
— Coach P5 (@PillsburyPoles) March 26, 2025

The Browns last week signed Jenkins after the Bears replaced him by trading for All-Pro guard Joe Thuney. Jenkins' contract terms posted by Spotrac.com say his absences added up in a big way.

He received only a $3.05 million contract for one year, $2.67 million of it guaranteed. The cap hit for the Browns is only $1.79 million.

Teven Jenkins looks to have signed a 1 year, $3.05M contract with the Browns….with 4 void years.

Cody Ford’s ‘25 cap hit is 43% higher than Jenkins’.

2022-2024 snap counts:
➖Jenkins | 2045
➖Ford | 1116

This only makes sense if Jenkins can’t physically move anymore.
— Gridiron Grading (@GridironGrading) March 26, 2025

Jenkins had been graded the 29th best free agent available by Pro Football Focus and his contract for free agency was projected by PFF to be $13.5 million a year.

This is downright criminal to land a player who two years ago was graded the No. 3 guard in the NFL by PFF, and was still graded 18th in the league last year.

I’m still very much team bring back Matt Pryor. With the FA severely cooling off, I’d give Pryor the Teven Jenkins deal. I’d rather rely on Pryor as the primary interior backup than Ryan Bates. #Bears
— Aaron Leming (@AaronLemingNFL) March 26, 2025

At that rate, it's almost worth wondering if the Bears would have been better off offering him $4 million to retain as a backup guard but the league doesn't work that way. A chance to start and begin all over again somewhere else is better for all parties after Jenkins' record of injuries.

He missed 23 games and 30 possible starts in four seasons. At least last year, worse than the missed games were the games he failed to finish. He had five games when he came out.

Seems like Teven Jenkins is the new Dalton Risner. I would‘ve been extatic, if the Vikings would‘ve gotten him for that deal. https://t.co/NvJMl3V4jp
— Jonas Stärk (@JonasStaerk) March 26, 2025

The entire Jenkins stay in Chicago turned out bad from the start, when he needed back surgery after he was unable to practice in his first training camp.

Now the fresh start can only be seen as beneficial but it comes at such a cost. At $3.05 million, he's making less than Bears backup lineman Ryan Bates by almost $1 million.

A tough fate for one of the more well-liked Bears players to come through Halas Hall.