Chicago Bears: 5 Big questions regarding training camp

Fourth Question: What will the Chicago Bears secondary look like this year?

What will the Chicago Bears secondary look like with a new defensive coaching system and without Kyle Fuller?

Once released, Fuller was quickly scooped up by his former defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, now the head coach of the Denver Broncos. This leaves the Bears with many question marks in the secondary despite slapping a bandaid on Fuller’s absence with Desmond Trufant, who was signed to a one-year contract in March.

Fuller’s absence leaves big shoes for second-year cornerback Jaylon Johnson and the 30-year-old Trufant to fill. Especially with Aaron Rodgers returning to Green Bay for one more year to fool around with Davante Adams on the outside.

Johnson was drafted 50th overall in the second round of last year’s draft and flourished as the team’s second corner. The 21-year old broke up 15 passes and finished with 44 combined tackles with one tackle-for-loss.

Trufant steps in with Duke Shelley and Artie Burns fighting for the slot position with Buster Skrine now out of Chicago. Trufant has started all 108 games he’s played in over eight seasons, but that comes with playing in just 15 games total over the last two seasons. With that being said, the veteran has recorded career numbers of 349 tackles, 14 interceptions, 83 pass breakups, 10 TFL’s, six sacks, three forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries — returning two for touchdowns.

Coaching the Monsters of the Midway will be the new defensive coordinator, Sean Desai. With Chuck Pagano now retired, Desai steps into his first high-profile job with one of the most talented defensive units in the league featuring Khalil Mack entering his fourth season with Chicago.

We’ll see how Desai’s nine years of experience in Chicago as a quality control coach and position coach under three head coaches and three defensive coordinators helps him mold into a new position.

Joining Desai’s staff is new defensive line coach Chris Rumph, who was an outside linebackers coach with the Houston Texans in 2020, and replaces former coach Jay Rodgers. The Bears defense ranked 11th overall in yards/game last season at 344.9.

Can Rumph’s history of coaching premier pass rushers like J.J. Watt help the Bears pass rush this season? It starts with seeing it in training camp.