Fierce Job Battles Loom for Bears at Cornerback

During OTAs this spring, Bears cornerbacks coach and defensive passing game coordinator Jon Hoke identified rookie fifth-round pick Terell Smith as a player who had made strides.

Smith was making plays from the start of rookie camp.

"Terell Smith has done a really good job," Hoke said. "He's got a chance to really help us. He's got size, he's got speed, he's smart. I've been pleased with his progress, for sure."

A few days later, Smith suffered some type of injury the Bears didn't identify but was working where those with hamstring, groin or calf issues usually will be doing rehab. Coach Matt Eberflus said he regretted they didn't get to see more of Smith.

It doesn't matter now. Smith presumably would be all right six weeks later when practices starts and the fact the Bears saw something from their fifth-round pick worth talking about only leads to one conclusion: Cornerback will be a real battle zone during training camp.

All they have seen is production from Tyrique Stevenson at left cornerback. He was good enough to get more playing time there during OTAs and minicamp than 2022 starter Kindle Vildor.

The battle for that left cornerback starting position is merely for a starter and not where the real competition will occur. When players are fighting just to keep a paycheck coming, then there is real competition.

The Bears will have that. In fact, Vildor might even be battling to keep a job let alone a starting spot.

The reason for this is so many Bears cornerbacks gained experience in their defensive system last year as injuries affected every single member of their secondary, costing Vildor his final five games and right cornerback starter Jaylon Johnson his final three.

They were so short on cornerbacks they brought back Greg Stroman in December after he was cut at the end of preseason.

All of them had good chunks of playing time and with this came a supply of depth for this year like they haven't had at this position in a very long time.

The battle for the last cornerback roster spots will be more intense than at any other spot because of the numbers involved. Vildor, Smith, Stroman, Michael Ojemudia, Josh Blackwell and Jaylon Jones might be fighting for two or three positions on the 53-man roster after starters Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. Stevenson, as a second-round pick, would be a lock like the starters. Blackwell has a bit of an inside track as a slot cornerback.

Here's how the Bears look at cornerback starting 2023 training camp.

The Starters

Jaylon Johnson: No. 33, their 6-foot, 196-pound right cornerback who will play occasionally all over the field on the opposition's top receiver. Still looking for a contract extension, Johnson has a new agent and is in a difficult situation. He has only one career interception and it can be tough to make salary demands based on this. However, he is always asked to do the impossible with the opponent's top threat and he also has 31 pass defenses in 39 games. Another issue Johnson needs to defend is injuries. He plays with treat tenacity and can be physical but he has missed 11 games in three years and hasn't played a full season yet. Playing in this scheme seems to suit his coverage skills as he lowered both his completion percentage allowed (58.8) and quarterback rating allowed (94.6) since the previous season, as well as his missed tackles (12.5%).

Kyler Gordon: No. 6, their 6-foot, 190-pound starter at left cornerback. He has shifted inside to the slot in the nickel defense and it's possible he'll just stay there this year. Gordon struggled in the first half of last season and then made three interceptions in his final eight games. The former Washington standout had 71 tackles as a rookie and a forced fumble as well as a recovery. He allowed a passer rating against of 101.9. Gordon expects better results this year, saying in the off-season he has become more aware of the requirements of the defense.

Kindle Vildor: No. 22, the 5-foot-11, 189-pound left cornerback did not finish minicamp lining up as the starter so it will be interesting to see if he lines up with them when training camp begins. At this point, Stevenson would be the odds-on favorite for this. Vildor has 22 starts in his 44 games played and started nine times last year before a season-ending ankle injury. He was injured in Week 8 against Miami and missed most of the game, returned to try and play through it for two weeks but had difficulty. Then in Week 12 he went out for the season—it was the same game Eddie Jackson and Darnell Mooney were lost. Vildor had stepped up to play some of his best ball early in the year, making his first career interception against Minnesota while breaking up four passes. It's a make-or-break year for Vildor both as starter or even on the roster because it's the final year of his contract.

The Backups

Tyrique Stevenson: No. 29, their 6-foot, 214-pound second-round rookie, began proving himself almost immediately at rookie camp. He produced three interceptions in two seasons with Miami after starting his college career with Georgia. Stevenson had 21 pass defenses in college and was Pro Football Focus' third-highest graded cornerback in the draft.

He had been a slot cornerback at Georgia for 258 plays in 2020, then moved outside for 1,011 plays on the outside his last two years at Miami.

Terell Smith: No. 32, a 6-1, 215-pound cornerback from Minnesota, was their fifth-round pick this year. He made four interceptions and 16 pass defenses with a forced fumble and a recovery in College. He played in 36 games, 29 of them as a starter and 13 of those last season. Staying healthy has been Smith's biggest issue as he missed at least two games each college season.

After college he was the highest-graded cornerback by Pro Football Focus at the East-West Shrine Game and was clocked as the fastestJ defensive player there at 21.37 mph.

Jaylon Jones: No. 30, a 5-11, 190-pound undrafted free agent in his second year out of Mississippi. He got into 15 games last year and started four games due to injuries. Jones made 47 tackles, to pass breakups and a forced fumble as a rookie. He was targeted 37 times and allowed 25 receptions, 67.6%, and had a 97.3 passer rating against when targeted.

Josh Blackwell: No. 38, a 5-11, 180-pound undrafted cornerback who can play the slot and was claimed off waivers by the Bears just before the regular season after being cut by Philadelphia. He was a punt returner at Duke, and has practiced it with the Bears a little after averaging 9.2 yards on 25 attempts with the Blue Devils. He finished as the Bears leader in special teams tackles with 11 overall, including eight solos. He hadn't been on the field for a defensive play until the final four weeks last year but made 12 tackles, a forced fumble and a recovery.

Greg Stroman Jr.: No. 27:a 6-foot, 182-pound cornerback who was a seventh-round pick by Washington in 2018 and had not been on a team's roster in 2021 after being waived following three seasons. He was cut by the Bears at the end of preseason, then returned with the practice squad. In December they brought him back to the practice squad and elevated him to the roster for the final game. He made an interception and pass breakup and also had eight tackles in that game.

Michael Ojemudia: No. 26, a 6-1, 200-pound third-round draft pick by Denver in 2020, he was waived December 27, 2022 and claimed by the Bears the next day. The former Iowa playuer had started 13 games for the Broncos his first two seasons

He allowed 54 catches in 88 targets (61.4%) in 11 starts and 16 games as a rookie, but three TDs allowed pushed up his rating against to 103.2. In one start and two games for 2021 he allowed 7-of-13 passses completed and a 61.4 passer rating against before being cut. He got into the final game of the season for the Bears last year after playing in three for Denver.

2023 Bears Cornerback Prospectus

A deep group will result in some huge camp battles but there is relative inexperience as only Johnson and Vildor have been starters more than one year in the league and the backups are largely inexperienced as well. Johnson will need to be more of a playmaker and leader due to the inexperience of others, and both Gordon and Stevenson will need to grow up in a hurry. Still, with Stevenson, Gordon and Johnson all being second-round draft picks, there is more draft pedigree at work in the favor of the Bears. Knowing the scheme better in the second year, combined with better talent should led to more interceptions, fewer risks taken and more pass breakups. Like with their safeties, if they just had a little more pass rush in support there's no telling what they could accomplish.

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