- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 410,627
- Reaction score
- 43
The Cleveland Browns signed offensive lineman Teven Jenkins to a deal in free agency, which confused many fans and analysts.
Jenkins, originally drafted by the Chicago Bears, mostly played guard for them, a position that’s well covered for the Browns with two of their more talented players, Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio. Without clarity of his role or contract negotiating, we have to do some digging to try to make sense of the signing.
So let's discuss what kind of a quality signing this was from the Browns as we get deeper into NFL free agency:
As of now, Jenkins’ role with the Browns remains unclear. It appears he’ll serve as a high-end backup at either guard position and potentially at right tackle, where he played in college. He could also challenge for a starting spot at left tackle or center, though his experience in those positions has been limited.
Schematically, Jenkins boasts the strength and fluidity to play in Kevin Stefanski’s zone-heavy scheme. Last season, he played under Shane Waldron who comes from the Sean McVay coaching tree, where the preference has been the Shanahan-styled outside zone run offense. Jenkins played under multiple coordinators since he’s gotten to the league, and his skill set should lend further versatility for a multi-faceted run game.
For now, with an unclear role, it’s hard to say how Jenkins will fit into the near future of the team, but he should be able to step in at multiple positions and provide starter-level play.
The lack of contract details since the signing was announced hints that the deal is a team-friendly one. A recent trend for bigger signings or extensions lately has been for agents to flex when lofty demands are met, typically getting the money, years, and their names thrown into announcements. When a signing is announced and those things are absent, it typically means it's team-friendly or a ‘prove-it deal.’
In this case, Jenkins did not sign early or boastful numbers in a market that greatly rewarded the position this off-season. For that reason, we can assume this is a one-year deal and possibly near the minimum. For a player who's been a starter and played well on tape, something else would have to cause his value to drop.
It’ll be up to the Browns to accommodate whatever those issues may be, but if the team got a quality player for cheap then it very well may be worth the risk.
Jenkins, a former second-round draft selection in 2021, started 38 games for the Bears over four seasons. He’s filled in at multiple positions along the line but has yet to put together a full season, missing at least three or more games every year. Between injuries, positional changes, and coaching turnover, Jenkins has had a tumultuous start to his career and his production has been hampered as a result.
That gives the Browns a somewhat unknown commodity. He lacks reliability but has also flashed signs of excellence, making him the ideal backup but an unpredictable starter.
Ultimately, you can’t beat his production at the suspected price. Even if his medicals act up, or he’s a problem in the locker room, the Browns won’t have any incentive to keep him on the roster if he isn’t a beneficial part of the team.
If he can stay healthy and lock in, then the Browns will get a strong contributor at a fraction of his worth. Once he settled into a guard role with Chicago he played some of his best ball. So, given a streak of stability, it’s also possible he can continue to improve and potentially be a long-term addition.
I wouldn’t go as far as to call this ‘low-risk’ given the uncertainty around his role or the cause for his diminutive contract, but there is little downside and plenty of upside with a free agency move like this.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Grading the signing of Teven Jenkins to Browns
Continue reading...
Jenkins, originally drafted by the Chicago Bears, mostly played guard for them, a position that’s well covered for the Browns with two of their more talented players, Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio. Without clarity of his role or contract negotiating, we have to do some digging to try to make sense of the signing.
So let's discuss what kind of a quality signing this was from the Browns as we get deeper into NFL free agency:
Fit with the Browns
As of now, Jenkins’ role with the Browns remains unclear. It appears he’ll serve as a high-end backup at either guard position and potentially at right tackle, where he played in college. He could also challenge for a starting spot at left tackle or center, though his experience in those positions has been limited.
Schematically, Jenkins boasts the strength and fluidity to play in Kevin Stefanski’s zone-heavy scheme. Last season, he played under Shane Waldron who comes from the Sean McVay coaching tree, where the preference has been the Shanahan-styled outside zone run offense. Jenkins played under multiple coordinators since he’s gotten to the league, and his skill set should lend further versatility for a multi-faceted run game.
For now, with an unclear role, it’s hard to say how Jenkins will fit into the near future of the team, but he should be able to step in at multiple positions and provide starter-level play.
Cost
The lack of contract details since the signing was announced hints that the deal is a team-friendly one. A recent trend for bigger signings or extensions lately has been for agents to flex when lofty demands are met, typically getting the money, years, and their names thrown into announcements. When a signing is announced and those things are absent, it typically means it's team-friendly or a ‘prove-it deal.’
In this case, Jenkins did not sign early or boastful numbers in a market that greatly rewarded the position this off-season. For that reason, we can assume this is a one-year deal and possibly near the minimum. For a player who's been a starter and played well on tape, something else would have to cause his value to drop.
It’ll be up to the Browns to accommodate whatever those issues may be, but if the team got a quality player for cheap then it very well may be worth the risk.
Production of Teven Jenkins
Jenkins, a former second-round draft selection in 2021, started 38 games for the Bears over four seasons. He’s filled in at multiple positions along the line but has yet to put together a full season, missing at least three or more games every year. Between injuries, positional changes, and coaching turnover, Jenkins has had a tumultuous start to his career and his production has been hampered as a result.
That gives the Browns a somewhat unknown commodity. He lacks reliability but has also flashed signs of excellence, making him the ideal backup but an unpredictable starter.
Overall Grade: B
Ultimately, you can’t beat his production at the suspected price. Even if his medicals act up, or he’s a problem in the locker room, the Browns won’t have any incentive to keep him on the roster if he isn’t a beneficial part of the team.
If he can stay healthy and lock in, then the Browns will get a strong contributor at a fraction of his worth. Once he settled into a guard role with Chicago he played some of his best ball. So, given a streak of stability, it’s also possible he can continue to improve and potentially be a long-term addition.
I wouldn’t go as far as to call this ‘low-risk’ given the uncertainty around his role or the cause for his diminutive contract, but there is little downside and plenty of upside with a free agency move like this.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Grading the signing of Teven Jenkins to Browns
Continue reading...
