Last season, cornerback Nahshon Wright broke out as one of the surprises of the NFL, leaving the Chicago Bears to have to go with the hot hand instead of sticking with Tyrique Stevenson at the position.
With Wright signing with the New York Jets in the offseason, the starting corner job appears to be going back to Stevenson for 2026, leaving many Bears to wonder if the team still believes in him. Recently on CHGO, Bears reporter Adam Hoge shared that the team has not given up on Stevenson as a long-term starting corner.
“The moves in free agency showed you that. They got rid of the guy they could’ve paid and let Nahshon Wright go. Now Tyrique Stevenson is back in that starting spot. They’re betting on his overall talent, his cover ability, rather than the flashes that Nahshon Wright showed you last year…..they still believe in him with the traits that they drafted him for and was showing signs of.”
The Bears believe CB Tyrique Stevenson can still be a starter and rebound from his 2025 season, per @AdamHoge:
— Bearsszn (@bearszn) April 8, 2026
“The moves in Free Agency showed you that. They got rid of the guy they could’ve paid and let Nahshon Wright go. Now Tyrique Stevenson is back in that starting spot.… pic.twitter.com/EP6mjbI8Yz
Tyrique Stevenson still has the Bears' support for 2026
Stevenson actually had a good start to the 2025 season, with breakout performances against the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders in back-to-back weeks. It was after the bye week that things went south for him, and once Jaylon Johnson returned to the starting lineup from his injury, Stevenson was reduced to zero snaps on defense, and Wright started the rest of the season.
In 13 games with the Bears last season, Stevenson racked up 49 tackles, 10 pass deflections, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one interception, and one tackle for loss. He allowed a completion percentage of 57.9% and a career-worst 15.5 yards per reception.
Since the Bears selected Stevenson in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, it has not been the smoothest experience for him in Chicago's secondary. Everyone remembers the Hail Mary in 2024 against the Washington Commanders that infamously put him on the map for waving at Commanders fans during the play.
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The 2026 season is Stevenson's chance to finally right all the wrongs of the past and prove to the Bears fan base that he can be in the secondary with Johnson at corner for a long time. If Stevenson doesn't, though, he might be out of Chicago and looking for a new job in 2027.