The Bears are feeling a sense of urgency to get Tyrique Stevenson back on the field, and that is a very good sign for Stevenson. His comeback season is going so well that he has made himself a clear candidate for a contract extension.
That’s a great sign for the guy whose 2024 season went up in flames after he suffered the ultimate embarrassment for a defensive back — allowing the Commanders to complete a game-winning Hail Mary pass after he lost his focus, jawing with Washington fans while Jayden Daniels was dropping back to fling the ball.
Stevenson’s solid play at cornerback offset the loss of two-time Pro Bowler Jaylon Johnson only 20 snaps into his season because of a core muscle injury severe enough to require surgery. But Stevenson left a victory over New Orleans with a shoulder injury after delivering an interception and two fumble recoveries in six games, holding receivers to a 41.7-percent completion rate.
The 25-year-old missed last Sunday’s loss in Baltimore, forcing Jaylon Jones to start opposite Nahshon Wright. Stevenson was able to return to practice Wednesday but it’s unclear if he’ll be able to play in Cincinnati after missing only one game.
The 4-3 Bears have been shuffling players in the secondary all season, with only safeties Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard (the NFL leader with four interceptions) starting all seven games. The first sign of potential alarm arrived in training camp, when fifth-round draft pick Zah Frazier stayed off the field for personal reasons. He was placed on non-football Injured Reserve to get him off the 53-man roster, with hope he can contribute in 2026.
Nickel back Kyler Gordon, signed to a three-year, $40 million contract in the off-season, has missed five games with a calf injury and will miss at least three more, as he placed on Injured Reserve last Saturday. Terell Smith, a fifth-round pick in the 2023 draft that included Stevenson, was given a shot at a starting job in training camp but suffered a season-ending patellar tendon tear in the second exhibition game.
With Smith taken out of the equation, Nick McCloud, a 27-year-old veteran with his fourth team, has gotten the bulk of Gordon’s snaps and not played especially well. Football Reference’s advanced stats show opponents have caught 14 of 15 passes when targeting McCloud, who is graded out 104th among 113 qualified cornerbacks.
Bears General Manager Ryan Poles is taking a chance on the well-traveled C.J. Gardner-Johnson as at least a short term upgrade until Gordon returns. He helped the Eagles win the Super Bowl last season but was traded to Houston in the spring, and lasted only three games with the Texans. The safety started three games before he was released. Baltimore signed him to its practice squad on Oct. 7 but released him a week later.
The marriage of convenience was helped along by the relationship between defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and Gardner-Johnson. Allen was in New Orleans when the Saints drafted Gardner-Johnson in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. They worked together for three seasons, which could help Gardner-Johnson step into a productive role. Head coach Ben Johnson was Detroit’s offensive coordinator in 2023 when Gardner-Johnson played for the Lions in a run to the NFC title game.
There’s a chance Gardner-Johnson can have some staying power, as Byard, Brisker and Jones are all unsigned beyond 2025. But the bigger question is whether Stevenson and Johnson will ever be the combination of lockdown corners it once appeared they would be.
There’s an outside chance Johnson could return for a few games this season. If not, he’ll have two years remaining on his contract when he returns in 2026. His contract could become an issue. The front-loaded extension that kept him away from free agency carries cap hits of $25 million the next two seasons.
Few teams prioritize two big-ticket defensive backs under the salary cap. That reality could impact Stevenson, who is in the third season of his rookie contract. He’s due a little over $2 million in ’26 heading toward free agency.
Stevenson carried big expectations after Poles traded up to take him with the 56th pick in the 2023 draft. His development stalled under then-head coach Matt Eberflus but he’s made a major leap forward this season, justifying the clean slate Ben Johnson provided him.
Pro Football Focus ranked Stevenson 80th among qualifying cornerbacks as a rookie and 83rd in his second season. He’s currently sixth, behind only Jamel Dean, Charvarius Ward, Nick Emmanwori, Cooper DeJean and Jaylen Watson.
That’s the kind of level Johnson had established during his two Pro Bowl seasons. PFF graded him first among cornerbacks in 2023 and 12th last season.
Put them together, on the field at the same time, and the Bears would have a highly efficient secondary. But until Johnson returns, the Bears will keep trying to find patchwork solutions. Stevenson carries more responsibility than ever.