Terell Smith of the Chicago Bears intercepts a pass.
With three games left in what can only be described as a colossal disappointment of a season, the Chicago Bears have endless questions to answer.
One of them is whether they should continue to give second year cornerback Tyrique Stevenson playing time.
Stevenson’s season has been full of learning experiences, to be sure, but the second-year DB hasn’t seemed to have matured much as the year has progressed. Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder compiled a list of every move each NFC squad should make right now, and for the Bears, he believes they should start Terrell Smith over Stevenson.
“Tyrique Stevenson has had a disappointing season and recently began splitting reps with fellow 2023 draftee Terell Smith, who has taken advantage of the opportunities,” Holder wrote on December 17.
“Heading into this weekend, the fifth-round pick had just a 66.7 passer rating when targeted and earned a 79.8 grade from Pro Football Focus in 2024,” Holder added. “With the Bears playing for the future over the next several weeks, it’s time to see what Smith can do in the CB2 role full-time.”
There’s a Compelling Case to Be Made for Benching Tyrique Stevenson & Starting Terell Smith
Benching Stevenson, a 2023 second-round pick, in favor of Smith, a 2023 fifth-rounder out of the University of Minnesota, might raise a few eyebrows. But Smith has done relatively well in limited opportunities, and could benefit from increased playing time.
Smith has played just 27% of Chicago’s defensive snaps this season after playing 50% of them last year, largely because he missed time earlier in the season with a hip injury.
So far this season, Smith has 16 total tackles and three passes defensed, also snagging the first interception of his career Week 11 against the rival Green Bay Packers. Considering Stevenson’s recent struggles coupled with his issues earlier in the season, it’s fair to wonder what starting Smith would look like.
According to PFF, Stevenson has a coverage grade of 57.4, whereas Smith’s is better at 72.9. Stevenson has also given up for touchdowns in coverage, while Smith has yet to give up a score. Chicago might benefit from seeing more of what Smith can do with increased opportunities.
Tyrique Stevenson Had Lapses vs. 49ers, Vikings
Stevenson’s issues this season — from the Fail Mary to his $19,697 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct after he tripped Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams — have raised legit concerns about his discipline and decision-making. So has his play art times.
Early in Chicago’s Week 14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Stevenson was involved in a critical defensive lapse, losing coverage on wide receiver Jauan Jennings, which resulted in a 7-yard touchdown pass that set the tone for the 49ers’ offense.
This misstep was part of a broader defensive struggle, as the Bears allowed multiple big plays, contributing to a 38-13 defeat.
A week later, on the road against the Minnesota Vikings, Stevenson hauled in his second interception of the year. The Bears were down 10-0 at the time, and he proceeded to mock the home crowd after the pick. Chicago lost, 30-12, with Stevenson also getting flagged for pass interference later in the game.
The Bears’ coaching staff now faces some huge decisions on how to address Stevenson’s maturity issues, and with Smith currently available, the writing may already be on the wall. We’ll see how it goes over the next three weeks.
