OT: Bears Talk - Justin Fields era begins

[HearshotKDS]

If Pace knew there was a good chance that Jenkins would not be able to play due to injury, his contingency plans for this scenario so far have been terrible.

[fleet]

If Pace knew there was a good chance that Jenkins would not be able to play due to injury, his contingency plans for this scenario so far have been terrible.

All this time I have been saying whatever happens is on George McCaskey. Instead of firing Pace, McCaskey decides to put Pace in the position of GMing for his job on an or else basis. Pace has been wasting assets for years, and now everyone can plainly see how inefficient this guy is in the draft while under even more duress. He blows the quarterback position years ago, and has to scramble to recover under direct orders. Pace probably did recover, but at that point someone should have locked Pace in a trunk until the draft was over. It’s McCaskey’s fault.

[fleet]

Without being able to see Jenkins’ charts, Dr Jesse Morse weighs in

Limited details, this could be simple herniated disc but is likely a combo of spondylysis or spondylolisthesis. Chronic lumbar instability due to weight & constant hyperextension. If compressing on nerve, hard to treat with ‘regular’ ortho. Surgery not ideal.

https://beargoggleson.com/2021/08/18/chicago-bears-teven-jenkins-back-surgery/2/

[CaPiTanAK]

Without being able to see Jenkins’ charts, Dr Jesse Morse weighs in

Limited details, this could be simple herniated disc but is likely a combo of spondylysis or spondylolisthesis. Chronic lumbar instability due to weight & constant hyperextension. If compressing on nerve, hard to treat with ‘regular’ ortho. Surgery not ideal.

https://beargoggleson.com/2021/08/18/chicago-bears-teven-jenkins-back-surgery/2/

His career is likely over if it's truly spondylolysis or spondylolithesis. The reason for that is that he will need to be fused, which will severely limit his strength, mobility, and movement in the future.

It's likely that it's a herniated disc that's refractory to conservative measures, and needs to be sniped, in order for Jenkins to resume his football career.

[CaPiTanAK]

Jesus Christ

Terrible news.

I'd be curious to know what type of surgery is required and what the estimated recovery time is. That's a huge blow to the O-line this season. I guess we have to hope that Peters is still a decent LT.

If discectomy, the prognosis is very good.

If discs are fused, career over.

[fleet]

Without being able to see Jenkins’ charts, Dr Jesse Morse weighs in

Limited details, this could be simple herniated disc but is likely a combo of spondylysis or spondylolisthesis. Chronic lumbar instability due to weight & constant hyperextension. If compressing on nerve, hard to treat with ‘regular’ ortho. Surgery not ideal.

https://beargoggleson.com/2021/08/18/chicago-bears-teven-jenkins-back-surgery/2/

His career is likely over if it's truly spondylolysis or spondylolithesis. The reason for that is that he will need to be fused, which will severely limit his strength, mobility, and movement in the future.

It's likely that it's a herniated disc that's refractory to conservative measures, and needs to be sniped, in order for Jenkins to resume his football career.

The author of that article speculated that he could be getting a laminectomy, which regular people recover from in a month or 2. Which could be where the Bears talk about a Nov return comes in. But this board has discussed laminectomies (for athletes) before.

[CaPiTanAK]

The author of that article speculated that he could be getting a laminectomy, which regular people recover from in a month or 2. Which could be where the Bears talk about a Nov return comes in. But this board has discussed laminectomies before.

Given the management of Jenkins thus far, it's likely a simple herniated disc that normally would respond to conservative measures like NSAIDs, PT, ice/heat, etc... However, Jenkins is a professional athlete whose daily activities likely agitate that disc herniation on a regular basis. The only way for him to recover his football career is a discectomy.

Discectomy - removal of herniated disc material pressing on the nerves
Laminectomy - partial removal of lamina in order to access the herniated disc and snipe it

No, his season is likely over. Best course of outcome is to have the discectomy now, and take the next 6-10 months to get back into football shape and prevent further complications.

[fleet]

How would the Bears expect a player with a herniated disc to be participating in training camp to start at LT?

To add, how does he pass his physical? They have a lot of splainin to do.

[CaPiTanAK]

Article about herniated disc management for professional athletes in the NFL:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-back-surgery/back-surgery-does-not-end-careers-for-nfl-linemen-idUSTRE70J7MO20110120

[CaPiTanAK]

How would the Bears expect a player with a herniated disc to be participating in training camp to start at LT?

To add, how does he pass his physical? They have a lot of splainin to do.

Herniated disc can spontaneously resolve with conservative measures for common people on the street. Jenkins ended his college season early, and took a few months for recovery. However, playing tackles in the NFL is a tough job, and it's likely that the resumption of his physical activities agitates the disc further, negating all the progress that he has made since his college career.

In these cases in which the herniated disc is refractory to conservative measures, the only logical next step is surgery. Like I have said before, many NFL players have recovered from a simple herniated disc via surgical interventions and gone back to peak performance. One prime example is Demarcus Lawrence. Bears fans are traumatized from this story due a previous episode with Chris Williams.

Lastly, it's very unlikely that Jenkins has spondylysis or spondylolithiasis.

[fleet]

How would the Bears expect a player with a herniated disc to be participating in training camp to start at LT?

To add, how does he pass his physical? They have a lot of splainin to do.

Herniated disc can spontaneously resolve with conservative measures for common people on the street. Jenkins ended his college season early, and took a few months for recovery. However, playing tackles in the NFL is a tough job, and it's likely that the resumption of his physical activities agitates the disc further, negating all the progress that he has made since his college career.

In these cases in which the herniated disc is refractory to conservative measures, the only logical next step is surgery. Like I have said before, many NFL players have recovered from a simple herniated disc via surgical interventions and gone back to peak performance. One prime example is Demarcus Lawrence. Bears fans are traumatized from this story due a previous episode with Chris Williams.

If your herniated disc speculation is accurate….If the Bears cut Leno, switched Jenkins’ position, and left the backup plan to Elijah Wilkinson going into training camp on the basis of a kind of hopefully optimistic outcome, they were out of their minds.

Lastly, it's very unlikely that Jenkins has spondylysis or spondylolithiasis.

You know, I can’t call it, but Nagy is out here talking about a November return. For a rookie Left tackle with zero training camp and and zero experience coming off back surgery. Probably in the running for as one of the stupidest, most intelligence insulting things ever said.

[CaPiTanAK]

Leno is trash at LT. Given some small cap saving, cutting Leno is a no brainer decision.

Nagy isn't a doctor. His job is to be a politician to the media, fans, and his players.

[fleet]

Leno is trash at LT. Given some small cap saving, cutting Leno is a no brainer decision.

Leno was serviceable. There wouldn’t be much disagreement on that. At the very least under the dangerous circumstances, the Bears should prioritize a serviceable (available…availability is the best skill) left tackle instead of a tight end (Graham). And there won’t be much disagreement on that either.

Nagy isn't a doctor. His job is to be a politician to the media, fans, and his players.

He would make an appearance on who ya crappin if they still did that skit. He ought to be good at it if that is his job.

[HearshotKDS]

If Pace knew there was a good chance that Jenkins would not be able to play due to injury, his contingency plans for this scenario so far have been terrible.

All this time I have been saying whatever happens is on George McCaskey. Instead of firing Pace, McCaskey decides to put Pace in the position of GMing for his job on an or else basis. Pace has been wasting assets for years, and now everyone can plainly see how inefficient this guy is in the draft while under even more duress. He blows the quarterback position years ago, and has to scramble to recover under direct orders. Pace probably did recover, but at that point someone should have locked Pace in a trunk until the draft was over. It’s McCaskey’s fault.

I generally agree with this - I have thought for awhile Pace has been in "i need to hit another homerun or i lose my job with almost 0 chance to get another shot at this somewhere else" mode for awhile. Pace is taking a lot of risks you dont normally see GMs take, and he was probably on the more aggressive side in taking a flyer on injured players before he got to the hot seat.

It sucks for the team now, but there is still a decent % chance Jenkins becomes a good OT for the Bears, for at least a few seasons, after he sits out this year to recover. In hindsight you can tolerate a "he sat out his 1st year but gave great production years 2-5", but for me the lack of an adequate plan B is something that shouldn't be tolerated - that could very likely ruin the season and god forbid it leads to Fields getting Burrowed.

[Susan]

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[Jimako10]

Nobody is going to care about any of Pace's mistakes in the draft/FA if Fields turns out to be really good. He's been afforded one more opportunity to turn this around, which is one more opportunity than most GMs get.

[dice]

How would the Bears expect a player with a herniated disc to be participating in training camp to start at LT?

To add, how does he pass his physical? They have a lot of splainin to do.

Herniated disc can spontaneously resolve with conservative measures for common people on the street. Jenkins ended his college season early, and took a few months for recovery. However, playing tackles in the NFL is a tough job, and it's likely that the resumption of his physical activities agitates the disc further, negating all the progress that he has made since his college career.

In these cases in which the herniated disc is refractory to conservative measures, the only logical next step is surgery. Like I have said before, many NFL players have recovered from a simple herniated disc via surgical interventions and gone back to peak performance. One prime example is Demarcus Lawrence. Bears fans are traumatized from this story due a previous episode with Chris Williams.

If your herniated disc speculation is accurate….If the Bears cut Leno, switched Jenkins’ position, and left the backup plan to Elijah Wilkinson going into training camp on the basis of a kind of hopefully optimistic outcome, they were out of their minds.

salary cap mismanagement and asset squandering necessitates hopeful optimism

You know, I can’t call it, but Nagy is out here talking about a November return. For a rookie Left tackle with zero training camp and and zero experience coming off back surgery. Probably in the running for as one of the stupidest, most intelligence insulting things ever said.

and he's actually mostly a right tackle being tasked with transitioning full-time to left tackle at same time that his level of competition jumps to the highest level

[dice]

Nobody is going to care about any of Pace's mistakes in the draft/FA if Fields turns out to be really good.

sure they will. because if fields turns out to be really good (particularly if he is really good on his rookie deal) and the team still isn't consistently contending it will be because of pace's mistakes. see the texans/deshaun watson. people just won't be clamoring for pace to get ****-canned anymore

[dice]

Leno is trash at LT. Given some small cap saving, cutting Leno is a no brainer decision.

Leno was serviceable. There wouldn’t be much disagreement on that. At the very least under the dangerous circumstances, the Bears should prioritize a serviceable (available…availability is the best skill) left tackle instead of a tight end (Graham). And there won’t be much disagreement on that either.

leno was ranked 32nd amongst tackles last season by pro football focus (pretty much dead average). he didn't make the list this season, but it's safe to say that he's solid

for comparison's sake, #7 pick penei sewell is ranked #31 heading into his rookie season. so it's also safe to say that jenkins in his rookie year was considered at least a modest downgrade from leno

[Jimako10]

Nobody is going to care about any of Pace's mistakes in the draft/FA if Fields turns out to be really good.

sure they will. because if fields turns out to be really good (particularly if he is really good on his rookie deal) and the team still isn't consistently contending it will be because of pace's mistakes. see the texans/deshaun watson. people just won't be clamoring for pace to get ****-canned anymore

I think you're right when considering the vast majority of teams. But not the bears. The bears having a great QB is unheard of and all sins will be forgiven.