Last season was fascinating to watch as the Chicago Bears' cornerback room went through so many changes, with one player ultimately disappointing the fan base.
Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson had a nice start to the year replacing Jaylon Johnson as CB1, but his play regressed so badly that he was benched by the end of the season. With his poor play and the selection of Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, ESPN NFL analyst Ben Solak included Stevenson on his list of veterans on the hot seat for the upcoming season.
"Stevenson in particular struggled last season, his first under defensive coordinator Dennis Allen; Stevenson's 9.8 yards per target allowed ranked third worst among all cornerbacks (minimum 50 targets).
The Bears would much prefer Stevenson to play (and excel) over Muhammad. That'd mean Stevenson could walk in free agency, sign a huge deal elsewhere and give Chicago a nice compensatory pick in return. But if Muhammad shines in camp, the Bears might struggle to keep him off the field while Stevenson gets targeted opposite Johnson."
Tyrique Stevenson is facing major pressure in 2026 season
While Stevenson only allowed a 57.9% completion percentage on 57 targets last year, he also allowed a career-high 15.5 yards per reception. He also missed 10.9% of his attempted tackles.
It was easy to understand why the Bears put him on the bench with Nahshon Wright emerging and creating an NFL-high 10 turnovers on the season. Stevenson just wasn't making the kind of plays they were hoping he was going to when they selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
The tone of the 2026 season has certainly changed for Stevenson, as he didn't need Muhammad's arrival to add any pressure on him. He's in the final year of his $6.4 million rookie contract and must prove not only to the Bears but to the NFL that he can still play at a high level.
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Bears fans will always remember his antics in 2024 with the Washington Commanders' miracle Hail Mary, as he still tries to erase the memories of that play. A career year in 2026 would help, but he might be on the edge of his time in Chicago ending very quickly, and Muhammad potentially being his successor.
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