Only days after being informed that starting nose tackle Eddie Goldman was opting out of the 2020 season, the Bears had to sideline his backup.
The team put veteran John Jenkins on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, meaning he has tested positive for the coronavirus or was in close contact with someone who was infected.
The team has three players on the list: Jenkins, tight end Eric Saubert and running back Artavis Pierce. The NFL does not have specific rules for players to be activated, leaving it to each team to decide when they’re healthy enough to return.
The Bears signed Jenkins to a one-year deal in April. He played eight games for them, including one start, in 2017.
He had a resurgence with the Dolphins last season, playing every game and getting 43 percent of the defensive snaps.
