Bears: Will Teven Jenkins miss the season after undergoing back surgery?

Chicago Bears rookie offensive tackle Teven Jenkins will undergo back surgery on Wednesday.

The Chicago Bears will be without offensive tackle Teven Jenkins for a while after the second-round pick out of Oklahoma State underwent back surgery on Wednesay.

Bears head coach Matt Nagy says the plan is for Jenkins to return at some point later in the season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Bears believe he can be back by November, but there is a real possibility Jenkins’ rookie season is over before it even begins.

While having Justin Fields under center has all of Chicagoland excited, the loss of Jenkins is concerning?

Chicago needs to proceed with caution, but this is a tough blow to the Bears’ offensive line.

Compounding the problem, the decision to cut Charles Leno to save money looks like a regrettable decision by general manager Ryan Pace.

Chicago Bears rookie offensive tackle Teven Jenkins to have back surgery

Jenkins was a big reason the Oklahoma State Cowboys had one of the most explosive and versatile offenses in the Big 12 recently. He was responsible for giving quarterback Spencer Sanders time to operate from within a clean pocket to throw aerial strikes to Tylan Wallace downfield. He also opened up running lanes outside for Chuba Hubbard to sprint through.

Overall, the Bears have time to adjust to Jenkins missing at least the better part of his rookie season. The team signed 39-year-old Jason Peters to a one-year deal on Saturday and he’s expected to be the starter at left tackle.

Again, to have a great offensive line, it is not about having the five most talented guys, but the five guys who work best together as a unit. Chicago should look at getting Jenkins back in any capacity this season as a bonus. For now, the Bears should not have to count on him until 2022.

While there is hope Jenkins could return to the Bears this season, that feels like wishful thinking.