Chicago Bears: 5 Under-the-radar players to watch in training camp

Chicago Bears under-the-radar player no. 3: Terell Smith, Cornerback

The Chicago Bears have made a concerted effort to improve the secondary, namely the cornerback unit. They have drafted eight cornerbacks in the past six drafts.

This year, the Bears drafted Tyrique Stevenson in the second round (the third cornerback chosen in the second round in the past four drafts).

The Bears have emphasized having tall, quick, and physical corners to harass receivers on their route. They want a return of the Monsters of the Midway.

While Stevenson gets the attention for being an immediate starter, the Bears also drafted Terell Smith out of Minnesota. They selected him in the fifth round.

With the attention on Stevenson as the rookie starter, and with Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon as the other two corners, not much attention was placed on Smith. He will be an integral part of the unit, however.

Smith is another tall, athletic, and physical cornerback. He measures at 6-foot-1 and weighs 204 pounds. Additionally, he ran a 4.41-40 in the NFL Combine. Chicago Bears fans who are used to seeing hard-hitting defensive players will love Smith.

Smith will provide good backup play on the outside. He has great instincts and provides excellent run support, something the Bears sorely lacked in 2022. In addition to that, he can also get to the opponent’s backfield on blitzes. In his final season with the Golden Gophers, he recorded 2 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss.

The Bears not only have themselves a solid starting unit but also quality depth. Smith could end up being a key asset for the unit in the future.