For Now Right Tackle Belongs to Larry Borom
It was about as specific as Matt Nagy gets when talking about who will be in a given starting lineup.
Teven Jenkins' window closes in a week and a decision will be due from the Bears on bringing their rookie tackle off injured reserve, although they could do it for this week's game as well.
Matt Nagy made it apparent if Jenkins comes back he will be in a backup role barring, an injury to someone else or one of the starting tackles suddenly playing terribly.
"Probably the biggest thing is with Teven’s situation is now that you’re into the season and where we're at, we just keep an eye on how our offensive line is doing and how they're going," Nagy said. "(Tackle) Jason Peters I think has done a really good job in so many different ways. Right tackle with (rookie Larry) Borom coming in and doing what he’s done, he's helped us out with injuries that we had to (Germain) Ifedi."
Borom has made four straight starts after Germain Ifedi's knee injury and has allowed one sack while committing two penalties. Pro Football Focus gives him an overall grade of 54.0 which on the low side, but not necessarily bad for rookies. And his 64.7 grade for pass blocking is fairly high for rookies.
"I think that he's done a good job of first of all, his first two weeks going up against two pretty good guys with (Nick) Bosa and (T.J.) Watt, but his focus is, just staying nice and calm, he never gets too high and never gets too low," Nagy said. "Pass game he's done a really good job. Run game, I think continuing to work on his pad level."
Jenkins had back surgery in August and as such has not had in-game action or really any full-contact practice. No one hits with full tackling in practices during the regular season but Wednesday work is usually very physical.
"He's done a pretty good job," Nagy said. "I mean for the time that he's had whether it was a Wednesday practice for a normal week or individually you know where they get some one-on-ones here or that, but he's had some (contact), I mean as much as you probably can get all things considered," Nagy said.
So Jenkins would appear to be the swing tackle for now behind starters because offensive line coach Juan Castillo said they have worked him on both sides.
"I think for us we always just kind of be prepared for if this guy gets injured or if we feel like this guy is not playing well, kind of play it out those two ways," Nagy said. "But right now we feel good with where we're at.
"So if anything it provides major depth for us and then we just play out the scenarios."
The Bears would have a need for a tackle this week, at least for now. Backup tackle Elijah Wilkinson is on the reserve/COVID-19 list for the third time this season.
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