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Bears CB Tyrique Stevenson Is Turning to Offensive Coaches in Make-or-Break Year

Tyrique Stevenson is tapping Bears coaches on both sides of the ball as the contract-year cornerback tries to hold off Malik Muhammad and save his future.
Gene Chamberlain|
Amon-Ra St. Brown makes a reception for a touchdown in front of Tyrique Stevenson during last year's first Bears loss to Detroit.
Amon-Ra St. Brown makes a reception for a touchdown in front of Tyrique Stevenson during last year's first Bears loss to Detroit. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson acknowledges his focus hasn't always been there in the past but thinks he's locked in mentally this year.

He's had more help than usual at doing it.

Not only does Stevenson have the support of highly respected defensive backs coach Al Harris working to make sure he's on the right path, but now he's getting coaches involved from the other side of the ball.

“I would say it's just more of a just honing in on the small details of my game," Stevenson said Wednesday at Halas Hall. "You know, playing corner, you give up certain things, you're not good at certain things. So I'm just trying to come in after every practice and hone in on the small details.

"I asked most offensive coaches, like, 'If you had to go at me, what would you see?' And so I just think, like, my attention to detail is just being a little bit more paid attention to, and it's making the (defensive) coaches happy.”

An example of what he learned is using better footwork.

“I would say just something like coming out my breaks, like not doing too many steps," Stevenson said. "Receivers are taught, out of the third step, he should be coming out of his break. I have to be a better athlete, so it should be like two and a half, or I should be able to match his steps, or something like small like that, to where it could give me a good chance to go pick the ball."

Considering the crucial year it is for Stevenson, it can't hurt enlisting opinions on every little detail from Bears offensive coaches, defensive coaches and ever special teams coaches. Although he had a solid year in terms of a passer rating and completion percentage against when targeted, he gave up 15.5 yards per reception.

No other starting outside cornerback in the NFL gave up as much.

Now he's likely to get challenged from rookie Malik Muhammad. Last week Muhammad wasn't at the one OTA practice media could watch but was doing work with the backups on Wednesday. That should be plenty of motivation for Stevenson, but it's his contract year and no one sits on their hands when their career is at stake.

Last year, Stevenson started but lost the spot for a brief time when Jaylon Johnson returned from injury. Nahshon Wright had taken the other starting position at that point. Stevenson said he never questioned the coaches' decision in that case and he did play at times even when he didn't start. Coaches got him into the games. Wright left in free agency for the Jets.

"I'm always motivated going into my offseason," Stevenson said. "I would be real (honest) that the Hail Mary (2024) was the top of the top (for motivation), so I'm always motivated now, but no, I just understand the coach's decision.

"Everything happens for a reason. I trust these coaches, I trust the guys on this team, and I trust the staff. So I just wanted to come and just prove myself to myself this year."

It's going to have to be this year for Stevenson and even if he delivers it might be out of his hands if Muhammad steps up as a rookie and shows he has a future as a starter.

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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.

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