Teven Jenkins is among the best free-agent guards still available, and The Enquirer's Kelsey Conway reported Tuesday that the Cincinnati Bengals have interest in Jenkins.
Cody Ford, re-signed last week to a two-year deal, is expected to have an opportunity to compete for a starting guard spot. But Alex Cappa is gone, and guard is considered a position of need for the Bengals as free agency continues.
The 6-foot-6, 321-pound Jenkins, who turned 27 years old earlier this month, has played his first four NFL seasons for the Chicago Bears. He's played in 45 games, with 38 starts, in those four seasons.
What to know about Jenkins:
Jenkins was the 39th overall pick, out of Oklahoma State. The Bengals selected former Fairfield High School standout Jackson Carman seven picks after the Bears took Jenkins.
Carman, cut by the Bengals last August, played in eight games last season for the Miami Dolphins.
He did not play in the Bears' 20-17 win against the Bengals in September 2021.
The Bengals are scheduled to welcome the Bears to Cincinnati during the 2025 season, which would be the first meeting between the teams since 2021.
Trey Smith, ranked No. 1 among free-agent guards by PFF.com, was one of just two NFL players, along with the Bengals' Tee Higgins, to receive the franchise tag this year.
Will Fries, ranked second, reportedly received a five-year, $88 million deal from the Minnesota Vikings.
"Jenkins is a force to be reckoned with on most Sundays," PFF.com wrote of Jenkins. "The issue over his career thus far has been getting on the field on Sundays. There are some occasional whiffs to clean up in pass protection, but it can't exactly help his pass-set footwork going from right tackle to left tackle to left guard while also rehabbing a bunch over his rookie contract."