The Chicago Bears activated rookie offensive tackle Teven Jenkins off injured reserve on Saturday, which made him active for his first NFL game.
The question surrounding Jenkins, who is returning after back surgery, is how the Bears would utilize him considering they already have Jason Peters in place at left tackle.
When Bears offensive line coach Juan Castillo was asked about Jenkins on Monday, he praised him in the oddest way, which involves decorating a Christmas tree.
Here’s what Castillo said, via Jason Lieser of the Sun-Times:
“Teven, you can tell what individual he is. The rookies put up the tree in the meeting room. You should see what that tree looks like. It’s a beautiful tree. It’s decorated right. Well, you think it doesn’t matter. Everything matters, man. That tells you what kind of individual he is, where everything is on point, everything is detailed. That’s the kind of student he is, listening, paying attention and then watching Jason (Peters), too. So I think it’s a good learning experience for him.”
If all else fails, it sounds like Jenkins has a future in interior design.
No, but seriously, Castillo praised Jenkins’ attention to detail as he learns from one of the best to ever play left tackle in Peters, who has held down the fort for Jenkins this season.
Castillo indicated that Jenkins isn’t ready just yet, although he would be the next-man-up if Peters were to go down.
“Right now, we’re trying to work him and get him ready,” Castillo said. “In an emergency thing, if something happened to Jason (Peters), right now he would be the one to come in. We’re trying to catch him up. I mean, he hasn’t done a lot of football. We’re working hard, trying to get him ready in case something like that happens.
“We’re just working him slowly. He’s still recovering, all those things. We’re just working him slowly.”
