The Chicago Bears went away from Tyrique Stevenson late in the 2025 season, after the former second-round pick occupied the left cornerback spot typically held by Jaylon Johnson for most of the campaign.
He played opposite Pro Bowler Nahshon Wright, who locked down the right CB spot in training camp. But Wright signed with the New York Jets in free agency this offseason.
Now, Stevenson faces another challenger for field time.
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Whether by design or due to the injuries they were navigating, they largely played their corners on sides in Year 1 under defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. Stevenson set a career-high in snaps on the left side and a career-low on the left, per Pro Football Focus.
He finished the regular season playing 33% of the Bears’ defensive snaps, per Pro Football Reference.
Stevenson could have to fend off rookie fourth-round pick Malik Muhammad this offseason.
“A surprise faller to Day 3 of the draft was Texas CB Malik Muhammad. A multiyear starter and still just 21 years old, Muhammad has the profile of someone who gets drafted on Day 2. That’s especially true when you factor in his combine testing, where Muhammad had a 4.42-second 40-yard dash, 39-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-11 broad jump, all at 6-foot with arms over 32 inches. I still don’t know how that skill set made it to Round 4,” ESPN’s Benjamin Solak wrote on May 6.
“They snagged a potential day one starter with No. 124. Finding a depth cornerback to replace the outgoing Nahshon Wright was critical, as Stevenson’s volatile play alongside Jaylon Johnson’s injury history all but guarantees the No. 3 corner will see time in Chicago.”
The Bears were without starting nickelback Kyler Gordon, who can play on the outside in base formations if needed, and reserve corner Terell Smith for the duration of the 2025 campaign.
They ranked 29th overall, 23rd in scoring, and 22nd against the pass during the regular season.
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Solak noted that “Stevenson in particular struggled last season,” perhaps miscast in what he was asked to do. His 9.8 yards per target allowed ranked the “third worst among all” corners to face at least 50 targets last season.
However, according to Pro Football Reference, Stevenson’s 57.1% completion percentage allowed led the Bears.
Solak believes the Bears would prefer Stevenson to play his way into a lucrative long-term contract elsewhere. The goal would be obtaining a compensatory draft pick.
However, there are also questions about Gordon and Johnson in the long term.
Both players dealt with soft-tissue injuries and have endured them in the past as well. That is something Bears head coach Ben Johnson has noted is often an indicator of future issues. The Bears’ plans could change greatly depending on how the 2026 season unfolds.
Chicago is also getting back 2025 fifth-round pick Zah Frazier, who missed his rookie season due to personal issues.
The Bears’ CB room is deep, but rife with question marks as the offseason program rolls on.
