Tyrique Stevenson enters Bears training camp with a clear assignment: clean up the inconsistency that has kept his play from matching his talent.
Chicago defensive coordinator Dennis Allen didn’t hide what he wants from the cornerback, even while calling him a “starting -caliber corner.” Allen said Stevenson has shown enough on film to justify optimism, but the problem is keeping it together snap after snap.
"I can make you a tape of Tyrique from last season where you would look at it and say, wow, that's pretty good," Allen said via CHGO. "It is the lapses in consistency."
That’s the crux of Stevenson’s situation. He’s the front-runner for the CB2 job heading into camp, but rookie Malik Muhammad is right there pushing for the role.
Stevenson has to hold him off first, and that battle matters even more after the Bears lost several pieces from the secondary in the offseason, including Nahshon Wright and C.J. Gardner-Johnson at cornerback.
Allen’s praise comes with real evidence behind it. Stevenson had a strong two-game stretch in Weeks 3 and 4 last season, but Wright eventually took his spot, and by the end of the year Stevenson wasn’t playing at all.
He finished the 2025 season with a career-low 49 tackles, 20 pass deflections, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one interception, and one tackle for loss in 13 games. He also allowed a completion percentage of 57.6% and a passer rating of 86.3.
Pro Football Focus ranked him 50th among cornerbacks with a 64.4 overall grade.
The timing makes this a huge year for Stevenson. He’s in the final season of his contract, so what happens in camp could shape everything that follows.
If he wins the job and plays well, he’s setting himself up for a new deal with the Bears. If not, he’s auditioning for his next team.
Allen isn’t the only Bears coach backing him, either. Bears defensive backs coach , suggesting the staff believes Stevenson can be a solid NFL starter.
For a Bears secondary that spent all year battling inconsistency and injuries, Stevenson’s challenge is simple and urgent: get the consistency fixed before the season starts. If he doesn’t, the season could get long fast, and his future in the league would be very much up in the air.
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