Tucked away in Patrick’s Bears Bits on Thursday was a nugget about Malik Muhammad spending time with the first-team defense as a boundary cornerback opposite Jaylon Johnson. Adding Muhammad to the list of rookies getting first-team reps is a wonderful development in isolation, but it isn’t the first time the rookie has been running with the first unit.
PATRICK FLOWERS’ BEARS BITS — AUG. 13, 2026
In our Aug. 9 set of BN Bears Bullets, it was pointed out that Muhammad was working as the first-team nickel cornerback in the team’s previous practice. It was an update that left me with mixed feelings. Because, on the one hand, I love to see young players get a chance to line up and try their hand at various positions. Flexibility and versatility are of the utmost importance in Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme. But on the other hand, it bummed me out thinking about how many injuries had to happen elsewhere in the secondary before this happened.
Malik Muhammad was a standout cornerback at the University of Texas. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesHere is a quick reminder of what Muhammad brings to the table with what Patrick had to say about the Malik Muhammad selection on NFL Draft weekend:
Muhammad fits the mold we’ve seen the Bears use this weekend, scoring very high on the RAS chart with an elite speed and explosion grade. He ran a 4.42 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and received a 9.51 RAS score.
Muhammad had a pair of interceptions for the Longhorns last season, four passes defended, a sack, and 30 tackles. He was Dane Brugler’s CB11 in The Beast.
Cornerback wasn’t atop the list of needs for the Bears, but depth at a premium position is always smart, especially when the player is a fit in the existing scheme. Muhammad is a very Dennis Allen-friendly cornerback who projects as an eventual starter and could make an immediate impact as a rotational piece.
We saw last year with the secondary how quickly injuries can debilitate a unit, so beefing up that group can’t hurt.
Cornerback might not have been at the top of a Bears fan’s wishlist when the 2026 NFL Draft opened its doors, but I’m sure fans are happy the team snagged Malik Muhammad when it did.
Malik Muhammad Can Play His Way Into a Big Role as a Rookie
When I wrote in May about Malik Muhammad’s path to playing time being clear, I pointed out the injury history of some of the cornerbacks who were ahead of him on the depth chart. But even I could not have predicted that the injury bug would gnaw at the Bears in such a way that he would be thrust into duty as a possible first-team option so early. My main takeaway from this development is that it is encouraging that this coaching staff trusts Muhammad enough to get his feet wet at multiple positions on the defense’s first unit. Getting that experience now is the type of thing that should pay off later.
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I’m not sure how the Bears will distribute playing time in the preseason, but we will get a better idea on Saturday when the team kicks off against the Cleveland Browns in the exhibition opener. I expect that we will see rookies get a healthy chunk of playing time. If that is how the cookie crumbles, then we should see a fair amount of Malik Muhammad in the secondary. Where he plays is anyone’s guess right now, but I hope the defensive coaching staff gets him time in the slot in nickel packages and outside as a boundary corner. Get him some familiarity now so it doesn’t feel entirely foreign when games of consequence begin in September.
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