With all of the excitement that the 2025 Chicago Bears provided, it was easy to forget about individual players who weren't pulling their weight. The focus was more on the defense as a whole, not living up to the reputation that has defined the Bears for decades, so there's a consensus that Ryan Poles needs to focus on that over the offseason.
One player safe from the scrutiny for now is Tyrique Stevenson, who will be entering the final season of his rookie contract in 2026. That fact alone should mean he'll be safe going into training camp.
The problem for Stevenson is that despite starting 10 of the 13 games he played in 2025, he had by far his worst season to date. That's not good for a player who was under scrutiny at the start of the season and still is most remembered for his role in Jayden Daniels' Hail Mary pass that dealt the Bears one of the most heartbreaking defeats in their recent history.
Tyrique Stevenson Has a Lot to Prove in 2026
In the regular season, Stevenson had 49 tackles, 29 fewer than in 2024 and 37 fewer than in his rookie season. Granted, he played three fewer games than in either of his first two seasons, but that still is a drastic drop.
Stevenson had somewhat of a strong finish as his five tackles in the playoffs were in the middle of the pack for the Bears. And in fairness, his regular-season total ranked ninth on the team, so it's not like he was far behind the rest of the team.
Nobody should be focused on where he ranked on the team, though, when his production dropped as much as it did. If you're using team tackle rankings to justify keeping someone around or at least having high expectations for them, you aren't seeing the whole picture.
Stevenson might still be valuable in the turnover department. His two forced fumbles matched his total from his rookie year, and he had one more in the postseason. Plus, he had the first two fumble recoveries of his career.
One expects interceptions from defensive backs, though, and Stevenson had only one after combining for six over his first two seasons. That's another concern that can't be overlooked.
Despite everything, Stevenson will and should get one more season to show what he can do. If there isn't noticeable improvement from 2025, though, we likely will see his time as a Bear come to an end.