Tyrique Stevenson’s Disappearing Act Raises Questions in Bears’ Secondary ...Middle East

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Tyrique Stevenson’s Disappearing Act Raises Questions in Bears’ Secondary

Tyrique Stevenson was notably absent in Sunday’s Chicago Bears loss to the Detroit Lions.

Stevenson was active for the Week 18 regular-season finale, but didn’t log a single defensive snap. Meanwhile, Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions was a rough watch. Particularly for the defense, but especially in the defensive secondary. Detroit consistently found space in coverage, piling up production against a Bears cornerback rotation that leaned heavily on Jaylon Johnson, Nahshon Wright, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

    Johnson allowed six receptions on seven targets for 81 yards, Wright gave up four catches for 68 yards on five targets, and Gardner-Johnson was targeted eight times, surrendering six receptions for 93 yards. The lack of production in the secondary makes Tyrique Stevenson’s absence stand out even more.

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    Tyrique Stevenson’s Disappearing Act Raises Questions in Bears’ Secondary

    Head Coach Ben Johnson was asked Monday about Stevenson’s zero-snap outing, and the explanation was straightforward.

    “We felt good about where Nahshon and Jaylon were,” Johnson said. “We wanted those guys to take the bulk of the snaps.”

    Still, the decision stood out given how the Lions moved the ball through the air and the recent trend in Stevenson’s usage. This wasn’t an isolated call — it was the culmination of a month-long reduction in his role.

    Stevenson played just 18 snaps (25%) in Week 17 against the San Francisco 49ers, was targeted once, and didn’t allow a completion. The week before against the Green Bay Packers, he logged 27 snaps (38%), allowed one catch for six yards on two targets, and recorded a pass breakup. In Week 15 versus the Cleveland Browns, Stevenson was on the field for 33 snaps (58%), gave up just two receptions for 14 yards on four targets, and posted an opposing passer rating of 58.3. The tape (and the numbers) suggest competence, if not effectiveness, in limited opportunities.

    David Banks-Imagn Images

    That makes December’s snap evaporation harder to reconcile, especially when contextualized with Stevenson’s broader profile. According to PFF, he ranks 66th among 113 qualified cornerbacks in coverage. Hardly elite, but not unplayable. Also notable here is that Stevenson ranks fourth among all qualified corners in run defense. That last point matters for a Bears defense that has struggled mightily setting the edge and fitting the run all season. Meanwhile, Wright has had a strong year overall but can be stressed in man coverage due to limited speed, and Johnson has clearly been playing through something down the stretch despite remaining in the lineup.

    None of this means Stevenson should automatically be playing every snap. But seeing a physical, improving corner (particularly, one who has held up in coverage and excelled against the run) reduced to a healthy scratch on defense while the secondary is getting carved up naturally invites scrutiny.

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    Whether this is matchup-specific decision-making, trust-based hierarchy, or something deeper at play, Stevenson’s vanishing role down the stretch is one of the quieter but more curious developments on the Bears’ defense as they head into the playoffs.

    it’s becoming increasingly clear that Stevenson is in someone’s dog house — whether that’s Johnson, Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen, DBs coach Al Harris, or some combination of the three. And that’s not exactly new territory for Stevenson, who found himself in a similar standing at times under the previous coaching staff.

    Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

    The difference now is timing. The Chicago Bears are heading into a playoff game Saturday night against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field with their season on the line — and their secondary battered, vulnerable, and searching for answers.

    If Stevenson still doesn’t factor into this week’s game plan against Green Bay, with the Bears desperate for physicality, run support, and functional coverage snaps, it’s hard not to read between the lines. That would signal something bigger than matchup preference or weekly rotation — it would suggest a fundamental lack of trust that likely extends beyond this postseason.

    Stevenson has one year remaining on his rookie contract, but the financials make any decision easier than it might seem: a pre–June 1 release would carry just $422,637 in dead cap while creating $1.62 million in cap savings. If he’s a non-factor again Saturday, with everything on the table, it may quietly confirm that Stevenson’s time in Chicago is nearing its end — regardless of what the depth chart or contract says on paper.

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