One preseason game was enough to set off the Malik Muhammad buzz in Chicago.
The Bears came out of their opener looking like a team that could belong in the Super Bowl conversation, even if the context matters. It was only the preseason, the starters stayed on the sideline, and the opponent was a rebuilding club with a new head coach and a batch of new faces. Still, the night gave defensive coordinator Dennis Allen a real look at a pair of camp risers - Jordan van den Berg and Malik Muhammad - and both handled the assignment.
Muhammad, in particular, made an impression.
The young cornerback has been turning heads throughout camp, and he carried that momentum into game action against a Browns group loaded with pass-catching talent. Allen wanted to see him in different roles, and Muhammad answered by lining up at boundary corner in base defense before sliding into nickel in subpackages. With the Bears’ defensive situation, that kind of flexibility could become a regular-season reality.
He finished with five tackles, showed up against the run at nickel, and held his own in coverage while matching up with receivers. There were a few rookie moments in there too, including an avoidable penalty, but that comes with the territory for a first-year player.
What stood out most was the energy. The Bears have talked about his aggressiveness and athleticism, and he flashed both right away. One of his best plays came when he blew up a Browns player at the line after a screen, a snap that showed how quickly he processed the action and closed on the ball.
Chicago’s cornerback picture is still unsettled. Kyler Gordon remains sidelined with an injury, and the team still doesn’t sound certain he’ll be ready for the season opener.
There’s also the question of the slot role, where the Bears have a player they gave $40 million over three years and may be losing patience with. Tyrique Stevenson is another name in the mix after uneven play last season.
That leaves a path for Muhammad to matter sooner rather than later. His toughness and grittiness could make him a fit in the slot, but if Gordon is healthy, he could also be in line for work on the outside.
Either way, the early returns are strong. Muhammad has carried his training-camp momentum into the preseason, and after slipping through the NFL Draft and landing with Dennis Allen, he’s starting to look like one of the night’s real steals.
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