The Chicago Bears are in the hunt for their first playoff appearance since 2020. But despite their 6-3 record, they still need to figure out their cornerback situation.
Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon are both currently on injured reserve, while the current starting duo of Tyrique Stevenson and Nahshon Wright is skating on thin ice as the Bears head into the second half of the season. The situation had Chicago general manager Ryan Poles reportedly interested in bringing in reinforcements and the most notable name was free agent cornerback Asante Samuel Jr.
Samuel had been making a free agent tour over the last several weeks and his latest stop was in Chicago on Tuesday. While there was some hope he would sign and add some depth to the secondary for the stretch run, Samuel had other plans reportedly agreeing to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
That decision has the Bears scrambling for help and Samuel’s decision to spurn Chicago turns their concerns in the cornerback room into a full-blown crisis.
Bears’ Cornerback Crisis Deepens After Losing Out on Asante Samuel Jr.
The Bears have been shorthanded at cornerback throughout the season as Johnson was injured working out before training camp and Gordon has been dealing with calf and hamstring injuries. Johnson wound up going on injured reserve after undergoing core muscle surgery but has no timetable for a return and Gordon is eligible to return for the Bears’ Week 12 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers although Chicago has not opened his 21-day practice window to return.
With both corners on the shelf, the Bears have turned to Stevenson and Wright on the outside and Nick McCloud in the slot. Stevenson has had a tough year in coverage, allowing 28 catches for 502 yards and a touchdowns with an interception and six pass breakups on 45 targets according to Pro Football Focus.
Wright has cooled off after winning a job, allowing five touchdown passes on 46 targets this season and Nick McCloud, who took over for Gordon in his slot role is allowing a perfect 158.3 passer rating and an average of 1.90 yards over 102 coverage snaps in the slot this season.
The mercurial performance led the Bears to sign C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the active roster, but he’s allowed seven catches for 40 yards and a touchdown on nine targets over the past two games. The Bears were also reportedly interested in New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor before the trade deadline but were unable to complete a deal.
Those developments meant that Samuel was the last resort to upgrade the cornerback room. Regarded as one of the top corners in free agency last spring, Samuel has been on the shelf after undergoing spinal fusion surgery. But his resume was exactly what the Bears needed to stabilize things on the outside and buy time for the rest of the group to get healthy.
With Samuel off the market and the trade deadline passed, the options for Chicago have reached the bottom of the barrel. Stephon Gilmore may be the best available option at the moment, but at age 35, he may need additional time to get up to speed. James Bradberry, Kendall Fuller and Emmanuel Moseley are more notable names but neither may be able to play at the level needed to weather the storm.
Regardless, Samuel would have been a great addition for the Bears. Now on his way to Pittsburgh, Chicago has to regroup and find a way to survive as they make a playoff push.