Cincinnati Bengals‘ second-round pick from Michigan Kris Jenkins Jr. will undergo surgery to repair a thumb injury sustained during practice this week, head coach Zac Taylor confirmed on Friday. As a result, he will miss the team’s season opener against the New England Patriots.
However, Taylor did not rule out the 6-foot-3, 310-pound defensive tackle for Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs, stating that his status will be reassessed next week.
“He can manage it,” Taylor said. “But it’s better not to play him this week. We’ll see how things progress next week.”
Selected 49th overall in the April draft, Jenkins was expected to be a valuable addition to the Bengals’ defensive line, even though he wasn’t slated as a starter.
Jenkins, the son of former NFL defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Sr., had an impressive four-year career at Michigan. He appeared in 44 games, made 32 starts, and earned all-Big Ten honors in 2022 and 2023, helping lead the Wolverines to a 28-1 record over the last two seasons, including a national championship win. Jenkins finished his collegiate career with 112 tackles, four sacks, and an interception.
