Tyrique Stevenson Is Once Again Stirring Up Drama
The Chicago Bears have high hopes for their secondary this season. It certainly doesn’t lack talent. Jaylon Johnson is one of the sport’s three or four best cornerbacks. Kyler Gordon has emerged as a top nickel. Kevin Byard is still a reliable presence at free safety, while Jaquan Brisker is a straw that stirs the drink when healthy. He was sorely missed after going down with his concussion last season. The one true wild card is Tyrique Stevenson. Nobody can argue that the former 2nd round pick is talented. He is capable of hanging with some of the best receivers in the game. The problem has been his consistency and maturity.
For every big play he can generate, he has a bad tendency to suffer lapses in coverage. This is understandable for a young guy. Unfortunately, he couples this with highly questionable judgment. Everybody remembers his baffling moment in Washington, trash-talking fans in the middle of the game’s final play, leading to the Commanders’ Hail Mary win. Some have wondered if his starting spot is secure or not. A new video from Brisker suggests he isn’t doing himself any favors.
It looks like all of the secondary players are working out together. Everybody was accounted for in the video, save for one. Three guesses who it was.
Tyrique Stevenson isn’t doing himself any favors.
Now, there could be a legitimate reason he wasn’t there for the workouts. Maybe he had a prior commitment. Maybe he’s nursing an injury. That said, his recent history doesn’t paint the best picture. It is just as easy to think he blew the drills off because he didn’t want to do them. That doesn’t do him any favors. Chicago’s new coaching staff had no say in drafting him. They aren’t inclined to keep him a starter merely because he’s a former high draft pick. Nothing about his play last year suggests Tyrique Stevenson is irreplaceable. Making a bad impression on this staff is not how you want to start the summer. Hopefully, there isn’t much to read into this situation. This training camp could decide the trajectory of his NFL future.