The Cincinnati Bengals are counting on second-round rookie Kris Jenkins to have a big impact on the front seven’s rotation next year after the loss of DJ Reader in free agency.
Jenkins looked the part during his second preseason game.
Saturday against the Bears, Jenkins got some run early and recorded his first sack — an efficient day, considering he only played 14 snaps.
Not that Jenkins is dwelling on the achievement all that much.
“It was a pretty cool moment, but I feel like I have stuff to work on, and to get happy over one sack, I won’t,” Jenkins said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “I’m not a finished product.”
The Bengals need Jenkins to have that sort of mentality while riding an upward bit of momentum. After losing Reader, the team added Sheldon Rankins, but it will be a committee approach with B.J. Hill, too, while coordinator Lou Anarumo alters what the team does up front.
Jenkins’ mini-breakout generated some big hype on social media:
First sack in a Bengals uniform for Kris Jenkins. #Bengals pic.twitter.com/0aEjLpapVp
— Joe Danneman (@FOX19Joe) August 17, 2024
HELLO Kris Jenkins pic.twitter.com/D7DM10rSxD
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) August 17, 2024
All that aside, there was a really cool personal anecdote from Jenkins about his day in Chicago, courtesy of the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway:
#Bengals Kris Jenkins recorded his first NFL sack against Caleb Williams today.
Jenkins explained following the game why he pointed to the sky after the sack. He lost a friend from college last year who he said was a massive Bears fan. A very meaningful play for Jenkins pic.twitter.com/bDEGUL8ip8
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) August 17, 2024
