Should the Las Vegas Raiders pursue a former second-round pick on the trade market?
The Las Vegas Raiders have some tough decisions coming up in the next few weeks to get their roster down to 53 ahead of Week 1. But they also have some question marks on their roster.
Las Vegas can address those questions by looking at the cuts from other teams. Or they could offer up a trade to try and land a player that wants out. And on Wednesday, they were named a fit for a player who might want out of Chicago.
Pro Football Focus’ Brad Spielberger put out his list of 10 trade candidates ahead of the 2022 NFL season, mentioning Chicago Bears lineman Teven Jenkins. In the blurb about Jenkins, Spielberger points to Las Vegas as a fit for him:
Jenkins has had a tumultuous 2022 offseason to say the least, and that’s on the heels of an equally rocky rookie campaign in Chicago in 2021 with back surgery keeping him sidelined until Week 14. Upon his return, Jenkins struggled out of the gate, earning a 25.0 PFF grade and allowing seven quarterback pressures, including two sacks, against the Green Bay Packers on just 41 pass-block reps. However, he surrendered only four total quarterback pressures over his final 76 pass-blocking snaps of the season, earning an 81.8 pass-blocking grade.
Jenkins was tasked with transitioning to left tackle after spending the majority of his college career at right tackle, but the new regime has him back working at right tackle and right guard, primarily with the second- and third-team offense.
The Las Vegas Raiders used their first-round pick in 2021 on tackle Alex Leatherwood, but he was relegated to the right guard spot to finish the 2021 campaign and frankly struggles regardless of where he lines up. Jenkins could be an intriguing prospect at right tackle or right guard, and Raiders assistant general manager Champ Kelly was with the Bears in 2021, so he has familiarity with Jenkins and perhaps insights on the ongoing situation in Chicago.
It’s interesting to note that Champ Kelly was in Chicago when the team drafted Jenkins, so that could be something that leads them to landing him.
The former Oklahoma State product was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft by the Bears, but dealt with a back injury for most of his rookie season. He only made a few appearances, playing at left tackle and was then moved to right tackle in the 2022 offseason and now at right guard as training camp rolls on.
If the Raiders see it as a fit, they could get Jenkins for cheap as Spielberger believes a fourth-round pick would get it done.
