Malik Muhammad is currently slotted as the Chicago Bears’ primary starting nickel cornerback. However, it sounds like he could make a run at a different starting gig in the near future.
Let me be clear. Bears Defensive Backs Coach Al Harris didn’t use any specific terms that would suggest that change is on the horizon. However, his answer to a question about Muhammad and the possibility of moving outside grabbed my attention because what he didn’t say said almost as much as what he did.
#Bears DB coach Al Harris on Malik Muhammad?: pic.twitter.com/w330Nzwu7O
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) September 17, 2026The Arrow Appears to Be Pointing Up For Bears Rookie Malik Muhammad
This was quite the exchange (via CHGO):
REPORTER: Has Malik put himself in the conversation to potentially bump outside as a starter?
AL HARRIS: “Um … let me say this. Malik’s doing a great job. He is doing a great job. Really, seriously, he’s been doing a great job since he’s been here. He’s still a rookie. He’s still got things to learn. He’s gonna have his growing pains, just like everybody else is. But he’s doing a great job, and right now, we’re not looking so much in the future, you know what I mean? Our feet are where we are right now. So, right now, today, he’s playing nickel for us.”
On the one hand, the Bears’ defensive backs coach makes it clear that he likes where Malik Muhammad is right now. And that’s awesome. Muhammad has gone from someone viewed primarily as a boundary corner at the NFL level to someone who can play several spots in the secondary. In a scheme that thrives on versatile, flexible players who create chaos, this is a great development.
Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad was a Chicago Bears fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Aaron E. Martinez/USA TODAY Network via Imagn ImagesBut on the other hand, Al Harris doesn’t give Tyrique Stevenson a vote of confidence, even though he easily could have. Harris calling Muhammad the Bears’ nickel cornerback “right now” leaves the door open to moving him outside. Because Harris leaves the door open, I think Stevenson is in the hot seat heading into Week 2.
It Sounds Like Tyrique Stevenson Is On the Hot Seat (Again)
This isn’t the first time Tyrique Stevenson has seemingly been in the hot seat. For what it’s worth, Stevenson has essentially had to fight for every starting job since entering the pros as a Bears second-round draft pick in 2023. Terell Smith jockeyed with Stevenson for position on the depth chart in 2023 and 2024.
In 2025, Nahshon Wright bumped Stevenson from the starting lineup en route to a Pro Bowl season. Stevenson survived another summertime camp battle in 2026. But depending on how the game of musical chairs goes in the secondary, he could be on the outside looking in at a starting job if he doesn’t play better. Once everyone is healthy, this coaching staff has shown a willingness to play whoever it deems best, regardless of contract or draft-pick history.
Panthers WR Jalen Coker (18) runs with the ball while defended by Bears CB Tyrique Stevenson (29) at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn ImagesTyrique Stevenson rode the struggle bus in Week 1 vs. the Panthers, allowing a 158.3 passer rating when targeted. The Bears seemingly have tried everything to coach up Stevenson and maximize his potential. But so far, he is still as inconsistent in Year 4 as he was as a rookie. That is not an encouraging sign. But it is just one game, even if it continued showing troubling signs we’ve seen for years.
Bears Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen wasted little time challenging Tyrique Stevenson this year. His tactics starkly contrasted with his approach in 2025. While injuries forced a change in plan, a healthy Bears secondary could push Stevenson out of the lineup and move Muhammad to a different spot. It will be interesting to see what the lineup and rotation look like on Sunday after Friday’s injury report has left Chicago’s defense with a reloaded secondary full of healthy defensive backs. Stay tuned.
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