Bear Digest

Bears might be down another DB facing Justin Jefferson and Vikings

The Bears look healthier but can still stand to get one player player back in their secondary considering they have to face embattled Justin Jefferson and Co.
Gene Chamberlain|
Justin Jefferson was being criticized for his behavior in the last Vikings game but the Bears realize the danger he poses.
Justin Jefferson was being criticized for his behavior in the last Vikings game but the Bears realize the danger he poses. | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

LAKE FOREST, ILL. — It's going to be hard enough for the Bears to cover Minnesota's Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson Sunday and doing it without four of their five starters in the secondary could have made it all but impossible.

So the Bears were elated to have cornerback Tyrique Stevenson return from a shoulder injury Thursday, after sitting out Wednesday, as they prepared for Sunday's rematch with the Vikings.

"Just a stinger here and there," Stevenson said. "I tore this shoulder already in college. Every time it flares I'm really safe on it."


However, they weren't as fortunate with another injured secondary starter as safety Jaquan Brisker remained out a second straight day with a back injury.

Brisker's absence entirely from Wednesday and Thursday practices makes for the possibility he would make it 60% of the Bears' secondary starters out, as Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon remain on injured reserve.

However, he seemed to suggest with social media post, as he so often does, that he'll be out there healthy on Sunday.

If figures to be tougher for the Bears seecondary in this one regardless of Vikings disgruntled attitudes toward their 4-5 situation. The difference for this rematch is the Vikings offense has Addison and did not have him in the opener due to a suspension.

"Good receiver, if you don't stay on top of him he definitely will expose the (lack of) details," Brisker said. "I covered him a couple times in college."

Jefferson experienced a rare off game last week with Baltimore and had only 37 yards on four catches, while Addison had three for 35, but Jalen Nailor came through with five receptions for 124 yards and a TD.

"I think, first, Jordan Addison is back, so that adds a  different element to their offense," safety Kevin Byard said. "Obviously, especially with teams like ourselves, but just other teams that are going to try to lean a safety over to obviously 18 (Justin Jefferson), one of the best receivers in football.'"

Jefferson expressed frustration in his team’s last game, a 27-19 loss to Baltimore with not getting enough targets. He has been drawing some criticism, but definitely not from his team.

The Bears are well aware of his capability.

"I think his route running is really good," Byard said. "Obviously, his confidence is sky high. One on one, he believes he can make a play against anybody. But he also brings a certain level of toughness, swagger."

Giving up only four catches for 44 yards last time to Jefferson had to considered a great success for the defense considering the four 100-yard games he has had against the Bears, but he hasn't had a 100-yard game against them since 2022.

They definitely don't want it to turn to on them the way it did in the regular-season opener, when they led 17-6 and gave up three fourth-quarter touchdowns after Minnesota found a way to get its running gam going.

"Yeah, I mean, we definitely feel like that was one of the games this year that we felt like, you know, we talked about all the other games that we've kind of been able to close out and stuff like that--this is a game we felt like we didn't," Byard said. "So that's something we're going to try to definitely redeem ourselves this week."

How they do it isn't the main thing, but it definitely would be easier if they know Brisker is also able to play Sunday.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.