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Al Harris, the Bears' 'Wizard' Tasked With Turning Malik Muhammad into a Starter

Malik Muhammad lets the Bears shrug off the failure of cornerback Zah Frazier, but they're still depleted at cornerback and need to sign someone. But Bears secondary coach Al Harris is up to the job.
Gene Chamberlain|
Malik Muhammad runs through drills at the scouting combine. Muhammad, the fourth-round Bears cornerback, has an important role as a rookie backup or even a starter.
Malik Muhammad runs through drills at the scouting combine. Muhammad, the fourth-round Bears cornerback, has an important role as a rookie backup or even a starter. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Giving up on Zah Frazier without a single regular-season or training camp practice, and after only a little over one calendar year says the Bears completely fouled up a fifth-round draft pick last year. On the other hand, they have a ready-made replacement in Malik Muhammad and he didsn't disappoint at his first rookie camp practice.

Texas defensive back Malik Muhammad (5) celebrates after an interception at the Cotton Bowl. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Texas defensive back Malik Muhammad (5) celebrates after an interception at the Cotton Bowl. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Why Ben Johnson believes Al Harris will save Bears secondary with Malik Muhammad

The rookie fourth-round pick from Texas stands to benefit from one of the great Bears assets and become the challenger for starters Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson at cornerback.

That asset, of course, is the wizard of defensive secondary play, secondary coach Al Harris.

“Yeah, I think for all of our defensive backs, it’s one of the better situations that you could ask for," coach Ben Johnson said. "With Al, we were very fortunate to get him back and he's a great teacher. I think he's very systematic about the process with which we want to go about our business.

"And so because of that, I think he's got some really good building blocks for young players if they trust him and they buy into his way of coaching, that they’re going to have success. His track record says that."

Not everyone buys into Harris but Muhammad's skill set and attitude lead Johnson to think he will.

"So, I think Malik is a very sharp young man and he's going to be able to embrace that coaching style with open arms,” Johnson said.

Texas' Malik Muhammad during the CFP National playoff at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Texas' Malik Muhammad during the CFP National playoff at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Muhammad flows freely in scheme

In his first practice, Muhammad displayed fluid hips and an ability to accelerate in the open field. He was technically sound in his technique. He was on the field during the biggest pass play, a short catch by wide-open back Leshon Williams from Kansas. Williams turned and no one was on his half of the field. He merely raced straight upfield without being challenged, but Muhammad was on the opposite side of the field and not really involved on the play.

What the Bears will want to see from him more as he practices and plays is better ability to make a play on the ball. He came out of Texas with only three career interceptions, although sometimes this can be the result of insufficient opportunities when QBs are looking to throw away from him.

The problem the Bears face is not whether Muhammad can adjust quickly. His credential say he can be a contributor. With Frazier out of the picture now, there is a huge hole in their cornerback depth, and Muhammad absolutely must be a key contributor as a rookie.

They'd like to think cornerback Terell Smith can fill in another backup like before his patellar tendon injury last training camp. However, this is a serious enough injury to expect he'd be unable to practice this offseason.

Jaylon Johnson is coming off a season cut in half due to surgery. Stevenson's play always seems to be under a microscope. They let Nahshon Wright leave in free agency.

The cupboard isn't bare, because veteran backup Jaylon Jones is still on board. The best pure cornerback at rookie camp outside of Muhammad might be 6-1, 194-pound Tulane product KC Eziomume.

Austin Hooper catches a touchdown pass over Titans cornerback L'Jarius Sneed Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025.
Austin Hooper catches a touchdown pass over Titans cornerback L'Jarius Sneed Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Best cornerback options available in free agency

There are other DBs among veterans, like Cam Lewis and Josh Blackwell, but they are slot cornerback backups for Kyler Gordon.

The available list of veterans includes L'Jarius Sneed, Marshon Lattimore, Trevon Diggs, and now former Colt Kenny Moore.

But Moore has never been a good outside cornerback. It's a specialized sport now and his effective years came as a slot cornerback.

Some of the others might come at higher prices, but at least Lattimore would have the benefit of knowing Dennis Allen's defense well, because every year he had in the NFL before 2024 was with Allen's Saints defense. The Commanders had him for two seasons, and this offseason made him a cap cut.

Then again, Lattimore would not be totally unlike their own Smith. Lattimore suffered a torn left ACL early last November and is trying to mount a comeback. At least it could mean a discounted price.

It all makes their reluctance to sign Wright for something over $6 million look like a foolish decision considering all of his takeaways last year.

And it really makes the failure of Frazier to be a legitimate NFL player very costly to Bears depth.

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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.