The Bears have put themselves in a spot where one more move could matter a lot.
After Chicago’s 34-17 win over the Seahawks, head coach Ben Johnson stopped short of calling it a statement victory, but the result still sent a clear message. The Bears are close.
General manager Ryan Poles already took a swing by trading for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, and that deal paid off immediately against Seattle. Simmons filled the box score with six tackles, two tackles for loss, one pass deflection, one quarterback hit, one sack, and one pass deflection.
Even with that kind of impact up front, the Bears still have a problem they can’t ignore: the cornerback room is shaky enough to keep dragging them back.
Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson were both exposed again in Week 8. Johnson’s coverage wasn’t disastrous, but his missed tackles hurt Chicago in a big way.
He whiffed on two plays that turned into extra yards and first downs for Seattle, and he also allowed a two-point conversion. He gave up just 29 yards on three completions, but the missed stops made his night feel worse than the numbers suggest.
Stevenson’s outing was much uglier. Seattle picked on him repeatedly, targeting him nine times.
He gave up five catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns, the kind of stat line that leaves little room for debate. There’s even a real case to be made that Stevenson has been the NFL’s worst starting corner in coverage.
That’s why the Bears are hoping rookie Malik Muhammad can get back in Week 9 after missing time with an injury. Chicago needs help in that secondary, and it needs it fast.
The obvious conversation around the Bears has centered on Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack, but that may not be the area that needs fixing most. The bigger issue is at corner, where Johnson and Stevenson have each allowed a quarterback rating of 129 or higher this season.
That’s where New York Jets cornerback Nahshon Wright comes into the picture.
Wright would give the Bears a player who already knows Dennis Allen’s scheme, which would cut down on the time needed to get him up to speed. He also has a track record in that defense. Last season, Wright thrived under Allen, led the NFL in turnovers with 10, and made his first Pro Bowl appearance.
The Jets haven’t been using him much at all. Wright has played in just three games, and New York is paying him $5.5 million this year while he sits on the bench. If the Jets aren’t going to play him, there’s a case for moving him and giving him a chance elsewhere.
Wright wasn’t flawless in coverage last season and gave up plenty of yards, but he still looks like a clear upgrade over what Chicago is getting now. At the very least, he would add depth. At best, he could push Johnson or Stevenson out of the lineup.
If Poles wants to keep this Bears team from letting its cornerbacks waste a real opportunity, a move for Wright makes sense. One trade could be enough to stabilize the back end and keep Chicago moving toward a shot at the Lombardi Trophy.
In Other News...
Bears Injury Report Puts Pressure On Two Thin Position Groups
The Bears head into Week 8 with six players on the injury report, and the list comes at a tricky time for a roster already stretched in a couple of spots. Chicago is preparing for Seattle with key names on injured reserve in Coby Bryant, Dayo Odeyingbo and Cole Kmet, while the rest of the report leaves the team managing availability at positions where depth matters every snap.
T.J. Edwards has returned to practice after dealing with a hamstring injury, which is a welcome sign for a defense that wants its steadiness back in the middle. On the other side of the ball, Colston Loveland was a late concern after a neck issue, but he practiced fully on Saturday and is expected to play, while Kyle Monangai remains out again with a turf toe injury after not practicing for nearly a month. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Contender Rise Is Creating A Credit Debate Fans Will Love
The Bears 6-2 start has sparked a familiar kind of debate around a team suddenly playing like a contender: who deserves the most credit for the turnaround? Ryan Poles has plenty of supporters after building the roster with additions such as Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson, while Dennis Allen has also earned praise for helping reshape the defense into a steadier unit.
Up front, the offensive line has become part of the conversation too, with Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney drawing notice for the way they have helped support the offenses development. Add in the boost from a key deadline move, and Chicago has enough moving pieces that the credit conversation feels almost as compelling as the standings themselves. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Just Gave Fans A Reason To Believe This Team Is Real
The Bears have spent enough time trying to convince people they are more than a feel-good story, and back-to-back wins over last years Super Bowl representatives have gone a long way toward making that case. The latest came against the Seahawks, a game that offered a little bit of everything Chicago has been chasing: a defense that looked faster and more disruptive, a passing game that found rhythm, and a roster starting to look like it can win in more than one way.
Jeffery Simmons wasted no time making his presence felt in his Bears debut, giving the front seven a jolt that showed up all over the field. Caleb Williams, Luther Burden III, Montez Sweat, Rome Odunze and DAndre Swift also turned in notable performances, and the bigger takeaway for Chicago is that these wins no longer feel like isolated bursts. They are starting to look like evidence that this team may actually be building something real. [Read more 🡒]