How rookie Kris Jenkins has improved this preseason

The Bengals drafted Kris Jenkins in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft in hopes that he could be an asset to the run defense after losing DJ Reader in free agency. Jenkins was primarily a very good run defender in college, but had some issues in double coverage.

Fast forward to the first preseason game. There were some running issues. So what happened?

All about the base

A strong base is paramount to success in the NFL. Everything starts from the ground up and if the base isn’t right, it’s going to be very difficult to win against the best of the best. One of the few clips of Jenkins in training camp was notable because it showed a clear problem he was struggling with. He crossed his feet when taking a block.

Marion Hobby, the defensive line coach, can be heard giving him instructions on his footwork on this play. He says “no good, you’re going over” as he shows him how to put his left foot over his right foot.

For some, crossing your feet is the most natural way to overcome these blocks, but it takes away almost all of your power and strength. Try pushing something with your feet crossed, and then again with your feet shoulder-width apart.

His second iteration of the clip is much better and it’s easy to see why. His base is clean.

He keeps his feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and bends his knees, which is the ideal base for taking blocks as a defensive tackle. This whole exchange was notable, however, because Jenkins has clearly struggled with it at times in camp. While he was great the second time around, it seems his natural footwork is to cross over, which he’s now trying to learn to stop.

Preseason Week 1

In the first preseason game, some were disappointed with Jenkins’ performance because he didn’t stop the run very well. What stood out to me was the crossing of his feet when blocking. While he is learning and practicing to prevent this, it is still a work in progress.

If you watch his feet on this play, you can see it’s the exact same issue he struggled with in training camp. His right foot crosses his left foot as he tries to pick up that block, causing him to get thrown around and knocked down.

This position is not a successful business model for defensive tackles. Especially against double coverage. It robbed him of strength and made him easier to move. The biggest problem for him is that this was not a one-time problem.

This is another case where he gets destroyed in the run game because he doesn’t get a solid base. He crosses his feet and that allows the offensive lineman to drive him down the field.

Even in games where he doesn’t go down, he’s still less effective than he could be because of this footwork issue. It’s not a problem with play strength, it’s a problem with his fundamentals. Now let’s look at the only double coverage he survives in this game:

Keeps his base wide apart, never crosses his feet, catches the double and lets his linebacker come in cleanly to make the stop. This is the defensive tackle play that is extremely important but goes unnoticed during a game. It all starts with him playing with a good base.

Preseason Week 2

Jenkins didn’t get many plays in Chicago to show his progress, but there was one play against the Bears that showed a clear improvement over the rookie.

Jenkins dominates the middle with good footwork on this rep.

This is an ideal base for Jenkins and allows him to win even though his hands are on his shoulder pads rather than his sternum or armpits. With the quality foundation he has built for himself, he is able to control the center and move him to stop that run. He doesn’t make the tackle, but he is the reason the run failed. He holds the back up long enough for the linebacker to come and make the tackle.

Jenkins’ foot game is something to keep an eye on this season. When he plays with a strong base, he’s difficult to move. The improvement in the second preseason game is exemplary, but the development isn’t a straight path and he could revert back to his natural motion of crossing his feet. It’s also worth noting that his biggest issues with crossing his feet seemed to come on Tampa Bay’s zone runs, where he has to move a little more horizontally. The next test is to see if he can hold his base and win against zone blocking schemes that require him to move more.

There are situations where crossing your feet is actually useful, including on outside runs. Reader crosses his feet to be more mobile and have more reach against offensive linemen trying to cut him off.

It’s more about positioning, leverage, hips, hands, and most importantly, getting ahead of the offensive linemen than it is about keeping the base clean and shuffling down the line. However, on most running plays, a good base will help a defensive tackle succeed in the NFL.

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