Following the game, some big news broke almost immediately after the players headed to the locker room. Chicago had agreed to terms with veteran offensive tackle Jason Peters, and it was just in time for reporters to ask head coach Matt Nagy about the move.
A signing of this magnitude had to mean something big. Right off the bat, Nagy was asked whether or not the Peters signing had anything to do with the health of rookie Teven Jenkins.
Nagy was pretty quick to downplay the question, to no one’s surprise.
Matt Nagy said that the Jason Peters signing has nothing to do with the readiness of Teven Jenkins, but that Peters is coming in to compete for the starting left tackle spot.
The familiarity Peters’ has with Juan Castillo and the system was a reason he signed with the #Bears.
— Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. (@wiltfongjr) August 14, 2021
Attempting to paint a rosy picture, Nagy’s answer seemed a little off. There probably wasn’t a soul in the room who believed those words.
“It doesn’t have anything to do with Teven,” Nagy told the media Saturday night.
Wednesday, the truth was revealed. Jenkins, the man Ryan Pace traded up to draft whilst knowing he was already dealing with a back issue, is now officially undergoing back surgery. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune first reported the news via Twitter.
After the news broke, Nagy told reporters that the goal is to get Jenkins “back this season.”
Back this season? As in, we could see Jenkins play anywhere from half the year to just a couple of games?
Nagy is completely throwing everyone for a loop, here. He’s historically been a guy who beats around the bush and doesn’t directly answer questions, but this is a new low.