Could the Steelers Pull off a Trade for Bears OT Teven Jenkins?

The Chicago Bears may be looking to move on from Teven Jenkins. He was the team’s second-round draft pick in 2021 under Ryan Place, but Ryan Poles may see something different. Regime changes are a huge thing, and they can flip a player’s prognosis with a club on its head. That seems to be what is occurring with Jenkins at this time in Chicago.

He only played in six games during the 2021 season due to a nagging back injury. Then, when he came back, he struggled at tackle. Jenkins did not look like he had the true athleticism to stick at tackle nor the length to curtail those athletic concerns. However, he was certainly powerful and has good hand usage. So, when the Bears pushed him inside to right guard, it was a nice surprise to see Jenkins pick that up well.

In that respect, it does not make much sense for the Bears to move Jenkins. Still, if the current regime is simply not impressed with Jenkins, it is possible they want to move on from him. With his recent play, his price tag has likely gone up, but the Steelers could use someone on both the interior and at tackle. Jenkins brings that type of versatility that the Steelers would really appreciate.

It should be noted that Jenkins has been almost exclusively on the right side during his time in the NFL. Switching him over to left tackle or left guard, whichever the Steelers actually look to do, would be a work in progress. Jenkins would have to retrain his muscle memory from scratch. That makes the move particularly questionable right out of the gate for Pittsburgh. For Chicago, this does not make much sense.

In fact, the Steelers going out and acquiring someone like Alex Leatherwood makes more sense from a sensibility standpoint for the Raiders than trading Jenkins does for the Bears. But the Steelers need an upgrade somewhere along that offensive line. Jenkins is not a glove-like fit, but he does give them some upside they do not have in that room as it stands.

So, could it happen? Absolutely, if Jenkins is on the open market, the Steelers have likely at least placed a call to see what the cost would be to acquire him. Of course, the Bears trading him at this point after his ascension at right guard does not make much sense. Jenkins should start there for Chicago. But if they are willing to move on, Pittsburgh should be right there in line to submit an offer.