Kevin Toliver in drivers seat to start for Chicago Bears Week One
Kevin Toliver has a great chance to be the Chicago Bears outside starter in Week One
The injury to Artie Burns is unfortunate and takes away a depth addition to the defense. After moving on from Prince Amukamara, Burns was one of a few cornerbacks on the Chicago Bears who were in the running to start outside across Kyle Fuller and Buster Skrine in the slot in the nickel.
Fans are expecting Jaylon Johnson to be the starter, and taking him in the top 50 ensures that they view him as a starter. However, he fell to 50 with questions of a shoulder injury and has yet to strap on shoulder pads due to his recovery.
This is going to be a tough offseason for rookies as it is. Now, with less than a month until kick-off, Jaylon Johnson has yet to take a practice snap with pads on. Most rookies would have played in a preseason game by now.
Roquan Smith held out as a rookie and returned to camp on August 13. He did not start week one, although he did come in for Nick Kwiatkoski.
Still, if the top ten pick could not get up to speed in less than a month, the odds of Johnson starting Week One seem very slim. Could he pull a Smith and make it apparent that he needs to start Week 2? Possibly, but he is already about a week behind Smith as well.
So, all of a sudden a competition between Burns, Johnson, and Kevin Toliver has turned into the Toliver show.
The Bears did add Kindle Vildor, and they also could start Duke Shelley in the slot, and push Buster Skrine outside. Still, all indications are that like Kwiatkoski in 2018, Toliver will be a week one starter in place of an incumbent rookie in 2020.
Kwiatkoski struggled, but getting that experience helped him jump back in in 2019 and play well. He earned a contract with the Raiders thanks to his play. Toliver could find himself in a position to take advantage of a small sample and make some money, similar to Kwiatkoski.
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As a UDFA with loads of talent, all Toliver could ask for is a chance. He is getting it. Now, it is on him to take advantage.