Chicago Bears Training Camp Preview: The secondary

As we approach the 2023 NFL season, the Chicago Bears secondary unit looks to be one of the most promising and intriguing groups in the league.

With a combination of talented veterans, rising stars, and promising draft picks, this unit is expected to serve as a last line of defense against opposing aerial attacks.

As we know, the NFL is a passing league. There are many talented quarterbacks who spend most of the game slinging the football.

The Chicago Bears understand that defending the pass is extremely important and are making a concerted effort at building a strong secondary.

Let’s preview what this group brings to the field.

Cornerbacks

At cornerback, the Bears are poised with athletic, quick, and hard-hitting players who have demonstrated their skills. General manager Ryan Poles continues the pattern of what former GM Ryan Pace did — draft a lot of cornerbacks and see who sticks. Over the past five drafts, the Chicago Bears have drafted eight cornerbacks. His last two cornerbacks picked have each been in the second round.

Poles has a type of cornerback he likes. He wants to add toughness to the defense so his corners are at least six feet tall, weigh 200 pounds, and are athletic, quick, and physical.

Jaylon Johnson is the number one corner, known for his excellent coverage skills and ability to match up against opponents’ top receivers. He is expected to maintain his high level of performance this season. His ball-hawking tendencies and speed should continue to cause issues for opposing quarterbacks.

Johnson is in the final year of his rookie deal. Poles could decide to take his time before re-signing him, to see how he plays. Thus he needs to have a big season.

Because of a lack of help, opposing quarterbacks usually opt to stay away from him. That limited the number of opportunities to make a big play. That could change this season.

Poles selected Tyrique Stevenson in the second round of this year’s draft. Stevenson is expected to play the outside cornerback spot. He has a knack for locking down receivers and disrupting passing routes. With his speed and agility, he excels in man coverage and has an innate ability to read and react to plays quickly. He has the strength to bully receivers off their route. That comes in especially helpful in press coverage. Even if a receiver gets past his press at the line, he has the make-up speed so he can keep up with them.

With Stevenson on the outside, second-year corner Kyler Gordon can concentrate on the nickel spot. He showed some promise last season, but he started slowly. He had his struggles on the outside. Once he moved to the slot, he looked more comfortable.

Now that he only has to work on the nickel, Gordon can take off. Defensive coordinator Alan Williams can do a lot with him. Being a physical player, Gordon can take on the bigger receivers or tight ends, provide run support, and pressure the quarterback with blitzes. It should be interesting to see if he has a breakout season. is one of the most exciting prospects to watch this year. His quickness and agility make him an ideal fit for this position, where he’s tasked with covering slot receivers and contributing to run defense.

As backups, the Bears have Kindle Vildor, who will play in his fourth season. He should be a dependable backup, having had starting experience at both the outside and slot. Additionally, there is Terell Smith, the Bears’ fifth-round draft pick. Smith has a lot of talent and could ultimately be a steal. If he shows a lot of promise this season, he can force Poles’ hand and allow Johnson to leave via free agency.

For the final backup spot, there will be a battle between Jaylon Jones and Josh Blackwell.

Jones was the Bears’ undrafted rookie free agent who played more than expected last season. He even started four games.

Blackwell spent most of last season with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Bears claimed him off waivers late in the season.

Both Jones and Blackwell had similar stats last season and are similar players. This should be a nice battle to watch.

Safeties

The Bears’ safeties offer an ideal blend of experience and youth. Eddie Jackson returns as the free safety. He is known for his ball-hawking skills and excellent range. After a couple of down years, he had a resurgent season in 2022 until an injury shut his season down prematurely. His ability to read the quarterback’s eyes and sideline-to-sideline speed make him a key component in the Bears’ pass defense. He is healthy again and looks to pick up where he left off last season.

At strong safety, a young, but up-and-coming player, Jaquan Brisker, will be stepping into a larger role this season. With his hard-hitting style and relentless pursuit, he’s expected to provide excellent run support and can cover tight ends effectively. He had some good moments in his rookie season and a lot of times he looked like a seasoned veteran instead of a rookie.

Being a rookie, however, he had some growing pains as well. He was asked to blitz a lot. As a result, he led the team in sacks with four. There were times, though, when he blitzed in the wrong gap and it cost the defense. He could build on last season’s experience and take a big step in 2023.

Depth is also a significant factor in a thriving secondary unit. The Chicago Bears have two seventh-round picks. Elijah Hicks was the Bears’ pick last season. He held his own when he played and started two games. Kendall Williamson was the Bears’ pick this year.  He is a physical, hard-hitting safety like Brisker. Both Hicks and Williamson have potential, and they are prepared to step in and contribute when called upon. However, they are thin with experience. While people continue to talk about Poles pulling a deal for an edge rusher, he could end up finding a veteran safety to play in a reserve role.

In addition to the on-field talent, the coaching staff plays a pivotal role in the success of the secondary unit. With a strategic scheme that plays to the strengths of the Bears’ personnel, expect a robust and well-drilled secondary that will keep opposing offenses on their toes.

The Chicago Bears’ secondary has all the ingredients necessary for success in the 2023 season, boasting both veteran talent and promising youth. With continued development and cohesion as a unit, this secondary can pose a significant challenge to even the most potent passing offenses in the NFL. Chicago Bears fans have every reason to be excited about this group, and as the new season dawns, we can expect the secondary to shine bright under the NFL spotlight.