As the Chicago Bears finish their offseason program with mandatory minicamp this week, some key position battles will ramp up a little. While we know the most prominent battles we're ready to see in training camp, center and left tackle in whatever the preferred order, cornerback is one to watch with health and depth as parallel concerns.
On the health front, head coach Ben Johnson's recent comments about Kyler Gordon land tellingly.
"I think he only played in three games when I look back at it, and so, you know, this spring was going to be a springboard for us to get going in the right direction", Johnson said. "We're still working through that. We're still trying to get that availability piece going. We know he's a good player when he's out there, but trust level is a huge thing for this team, for this coaching staff, for the locker room, and you can only develop that trust by being available."
Jaylon Johnson is locked into one starting spot at cornerback, and he can only be healthier than he was last season. Tyrique Stevenson will face a challenge from rookie Malik Muhammad for the starting spot opposite Johnson, and Terell Smith is somewhere in the mix after missing all of last season. Gordon's health, as Johnson admitted, is the biggest wild card.
Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report has ranked the top 10 unsigned NFL free agents who are under 30 years old. Cornerback Trevon Diggs is No. 1 on the list, with Knox offering the Bears as his top potential suitor.
"Cornerback Trevon Diggs must be viewed as a bit of a boom-or-bust free agent at this point in his career. The former Dallas Cowboys standout suffered a torn ACL in 2023 and hasn't performed at a high level since that injury."
"Diggs also missed time with a concussion in 2025 before he was released by the Cowboys and spent a very brief stint with the Green Bay Packers."
Still, Diggs is a former All-Pro and a two-time Pro Bowler at a premium position. He'll only turn 28 in September, and if he can stay healthy, he can again become a reliable long-term starter and an impact defender."
"Diggs should interest most teams looking for cornerback help, but given his risk-reward play style, he'd make the most sense in a familiar system."
"Former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is now the head coach in Washington, while former Cowboys secondary coach Al Harris holds the same position with the Chicago Bears. Interestingly, both teams could use additional depth at corner."
Reunion with Al Harris could be fruitful for Trevon Diggs and the Bears
Knox nicely outlined the reasons Diggs is still available. Since that torn ACL in 2023, his performance has fallen off. Even at his best, he was boom-or-bust in coverage, with 11 interceptions but over 900 yards allowed in his coverage when he was a First Team All-Pro in 2021, and he has never been a stout run defender.
Besides simply being able to stay on the field better than he has lately, if anyone can get Diggs back on track, Harris would be at the top of the list.
Diggs had the two best seasons of his career, 2021 and 2022, when Harris was the Cowboys' defensive backs coach. Even in 2024, after his ACL tear, Diggs allowed just an 85.3 passer rating in his coverage with Harris as his position coach.
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Diggs is in no position to make contractual demands, so if someone signs him, it will be a low-risk, low-reward deal with little or no guaranteed money. With that in mind, and perhaps (if not likely) with input from Harris, the Bears could easily consider taking a flier ahead of training camp.
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