Jaylon Johnson has established himself as the best cornerback the Chicago Bears have produced since Kyle Fuller. The fact they got him in late in the 2nd round is a testament to the great job done by the scouting department in 2020. While his ascent hasn’t always been steady, nobody can deny he morphed into one of the NFL’s best last season. He finished with four interceptions, barely missed a few others, and suffocated opposing receivers all season long. The crazy part is he may not be the best cornerback on the roster much longer. Not with Tyrique Stevenson present.
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At least, that is what former scouting director Greg Gabriel thinks. On Windy City Gridiron, he explained that Stevenson has almost the exact same physical capabilities as Johnson, with one added dimension.
Opposite Johnson is second-year man Tyrique Stevenson. Stevenson was selected in the second round last year and started from the get-go. Being a rookie, he started a little slow and was targeted often, but he improved with every game, and by the end of the year, he was playing like a solid vet. He finished the season with a huge 86 total tackles, four interceptions, and 16 passes defensed.
He has similar traits to Johnson in that he is tall, long, fast, and quick and may even be more physical. While it took Johnson four seasons to become a Pro Bowl player, Steveson may get there sooner.
It sounds crazy to think about, but the statements are true. Steven had the same number of interceptions as Johnson (4) and 86 tackles to Johnson’s 36. Yes, the latter was better in coverage, but Stevenson played like the more complete player. If he learns to avoid the little mistakes, that prediction is far from crazy.
Tyrique Stevenson may actually be a steal.
Remember, the Bears traded up in the 2nd round of the 2023 draft to get him. A lot of people thought that was unnecessary. GM Ryan Poles disagreed. He and head coach Matt Eberflus saw a player with massive untapped potential. His athletic ability and hard-nosed playing style were a perfect fit for the intense, physical style of defense they wanted to deploy. His first month was ugly as opponents picked on him almost at will. To his credit, Stevenson weathered the storm. He started adjusting to the NFL’s speed and began making more and more plays on the ball.
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Nobody will catch him by surprise this year. Tyrique Stevenson knows the defense. He is in NFL shape. The confidence is building. If he gets to play with an actual lead during games this season, it isn’t a stretch to think he will feast on turnover opportunities. Having Johnson on the other side will help. Opponents won’t want to attack him too often, which means more chances for him. It could become a legitimate issue of Pick Your Poison in Chicago. That is undoubtedly what the Bears were hoping for.
