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While the Chicago Bears 2024 season saw the franchise hit disastrous lows, the team’s secondary was arguably their biggest highlight. The Bears have made plenty of changes heading into 2025, but Chicago’s secondary is once again expected to remain supreme.
They’ll need to be playing in the NFC North. Jared Goff has developed into an offensive dynamo while Jordan Love just earned himself a massive contract extension. JJ McCarthy will finally be making his much anticipated NFL debut. The Bears won’t be taking a day off in the pass defense game in any of their divisional matchups.
Luckily for Chicago, they have the tools in place to succeed. In fact, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report ranked the Bears’ cornerback duo of Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson as the sixth-best in the NFL.
“Jaylon Johnson’s rise to stardom propels the Chicago Bears duo ahead of the Dallas Cowboys tandem,” Moton wrote. “Johnson has become a household name with back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, registering six interceptions since 2023 after logging only one in his first three campaigns.”
“If Stevenson makes a bigger leap in consistency, the Bears’ cornerback duo will be in the top five next year,” he concluded.
Chicago Bears cornerback duo
Jaylon Johnson did the heavy lifting into getting Chicago into the top five. However, another Pro Bowl season from the cornerback would erase any questions about him being considered amongst the league’s best.
In 2023, Johnson made 36 tackles, alongside career-highs in passes defended (10) and interceptions (four). His numbers dropped slightly in 2024, with 53 tackles, eight passes defended and two interceptions. However, Johnson’s 76.2 grade from Pro Football Focus put him 19th out of 222 cornerbacks. If Johnson is able to hit his lofty expectations for 2025, his star status will only rise.
Stevenson is on much more precarious ground, especially after his actions during the Bears’ Hail Mary disaster. However, the cornerback is ready to turn a new leaf and prove why he deserves the starting spot across from Johnson. Over his two years in Chicago, Stevenson has racked up 164 tackles, 28 passes defended and six interceptions.
If the 25-year-old can smooth out some aspects of his game, the Bears would be a dangerous matchup for any opposing quarterback. That’s exactly what defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is trying to build in Chicago.
Don’t forget about Kyler Gordon
While Moton focused on only the outside cornerbacks, Kyler Gordon is arguably the best slot cornerback in the league. The Bears are at least paying him like he is.
Over his three years with the team, Gordon has put up 207 tackles, 17 passes defended and five interceptions. While he didn’t have a pick in 2024, the cornerback did make a career-high 75 sacks to go alongside five passes defended. Furthermore, Gordon’s 76 grade from PFF put him 21st out of 222 cornerbacks.
Allen has already stated that he wants Gordon to play more than just the slot, meaning there’s a chance the defensive back moves around the field in 2025. But that is a compliment to the cornerback’s game, as Allen wants him on the field as much as possible.
Even with all the changes, Chicago’s defense will still need to prove themselves in 2025. But with Johnson, Stevenson and Gordon, the Bears can at least be confident in their secondary.
More must-reads:
- Could Cowboys use nuclear option with Micah Parsons?
- How Giants' Malik Nabers has grown while working with Russell Wilson
- The 'NFL mascot names' quiz
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Patriots stars react to HC Mike Vrabel getting bloodied while breaking up camp fight
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel likely won the respect of his team Wednesday. However, he may have needed a few stitches afterward. The Patriots hosted a joint practice with the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. New England rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson took a Commanders pass-rusher to the ground in pass protection, resulting in a scuffle. Vrabel then jumped in to help stop the fight. His face was bloodied after both teams calmed down. Patriots second-year quarterback Drake Maye loved that his coach was willing to step in. In a news conference after practice, the 22-year-old passer said that's the mentality the team needs. "That's what we're trying to build," he said. "The intensity, bringing it every day, taking no cr-p when we're out on the field. But also, it comes a time where, with our guys offensively, and getting over there and getting some tussles and kind of having some penalties, and extra after the whistle, can get us in trouble. But for mentality, I like it. I mean, I almost got in there, but I think maybe another day, maybe." His new coach doesn't want the QB to get in any brawls. The Patriots are banking on the third overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft being the franchise's future. Plus, he doesn't need to worry about the Patriots' intensity with Vrabel in the building. New England wide receiver DeMario Douglas noted the former linebacker didn't seem rattled after breaking up the scrap. "I said, 'Coach, what's wrong with you?' And he said, 'You should have seen the other guy,'" Douglas told the media while smiling. "I just saw the scar on his face but didn't know what was happening." Vrabel likely sent two messages at Wednesday's practice. He won't tolerate an undisciplined team but also has his players' backs. That could go a long way for a Patriots squad aiming to improve after a 4-13 season.
NFL Hall of Famer reveals why he chose to join Deion Sanders' Colorado coaching staff
Marshall Faulk is Colorado's new running backs coach, and the Buffaloes could not ask for someone with better experience for the job. That's, of course, because this is Faulk's first coaching gig. As a player, though, there were few better than the Pro Football Hall of Famer. In 12 seasons in the NFL, he rushed 2,836 times for 12,279 yards and 100 total touchdowns. He was a league MVP, a seven-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champ. Faulk was the real deal, and now he has a chance to pass his experiences on to the running backs at Colorado. For him, it's more than just the opportunity to coach football, though. He gets to coach under Deion Sanders, whom he views as a major difference-maker for the game of football. "You guys know him in a different way than I know him," Faulk said in a recent media availability (h/t On3). "We’ve been friends for many years. We worked together in television. We always talk just about the game and probably more about kids coming up in the game. How do you affect and make sure they come into the game the right way? He’s one of those way makers. When you pay attention to kids that’s gonna leave this program and go to the next level, they’re gonna do it in a certain way and you’re gonna say, 'Wow, they were coached by a guy who understands how to get it done.' I identify with that." Colorado can certainly use Faulk's expertise heading into 2025. There are several players battling for the starting role after Isaiah Augustave transferred to South Carolina. Even then, he was Colorado's leading rusher last season while rushing for just 384 yards and four touchdowns, so it's not like the Buffs have a big gap that they're trying to replace. Dekalon Taylor transferred in from Incarnate Word, where he rushed for 909 yards and nine touchdowns last season, so he'll be a player to watch. Dallan Hayden, Micah Welch, Simeon Price and Charlie Offerdahl are also names to know. Faulk will have his work cut out for him, but he seems excited to make a difference both on and off the field for these young Buffaloes. "So coming here not just to win games on the field, but to win the game off the field, which is to make sure that these young men in life become what they want to become outside of football. They become the father that they want to be, the brother, the husband. Making sure that they do that, that’s the important part. That was attractive," he said.
Kevin Love reportedly has preferred buyout destination
Kevin Love is eyeing a return to his roots. The five-time NBA All-Star big man Love has a preferred destination on the buyout market, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Tuesday. Love would like to end up in Los Angeles. Now 36 years old, Love spent the last two-and-a-half seasons with the Miami Heat. He averaged just 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds over 10.9 minutes per game in 2024-25 but still managed to shoot 35.8 percent from three on the year. Earlier this summer however, the Heat traded Love to the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team blockbuster deal. Now Love, a 17-year NBA veteran, is pursuing a contract buyout from the rebuilding Jazz. Though he is a native of Lake Oswego, Oregon, Love played his college ball in Los Angeles at UCLA. He also has ties to both L.A. teams — he won an NBA championship with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and was also coached on that team by Tyronn Lue, who is now head coach of the L.A. Clippers. Both the Lakers and Clippers are currently sitting at 14 guaranteed contracts each. While they still have spots for two-way and Exhibit 10 players, that means the Lakers and Clippers are both down to their final open roster spot. The ex-rebounding leader Love still has some value, though probably more so as a jokester than as a contributing rotation piece. While Love clearly wants a homecoming to Los Angeles, he may have some convincing to do for either the Lakers or the Clippers to give him that final open roster spot.
Angels sign son of Baseball Hall of Famer to minor league deal
The Angels are in agreement with infielder Cavan Biggio on a minor league deal, according to the MLB.com transaction log. He’s been assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake. Biggio was released by the Royals last week. Biggio — son of MLB Hall of Famer Craig Biggio — broke camp with K.C. after signing an offseason minor league contract. He appeared in 37 games, hitting .174/.296/.246 with one home run in 83 trips to the plate. He had hit far better in Triple-A, slashing .285/.375/.464 over 41 contests. Cavan Biggio’s lack of production against big league pitching pushed him off the roster last week, as the Royals needed to open a 40-man spot to activate Hunter Harvey from the injured list. The lefty-hitting Biggio has been a well below-average hitter in consecutive seasons. He combined for a .197/.314/.303 line across 225 plate appearances with three teams a year ago. Biggio continues to take a lot of walks, as he has throughout his career. His power production has plummeted since his first two seasons with the Blue Jays. Biggio’s extremely patient approach also comes with strikeouts, as he also takes a lot of pitches within the strike zone. Biggio has more experience at second base than any other position. He only logged 10 1/3 innings there for Kansas City. The Royals used him most frequently in the corner outfield and at first base with occasional second and third base work. The Angels have Nolan Schanuel, Christian Moore and Luis Rengifo at the non-shortstop infield positions. They acquired Oswald Peraza as a defensive option off the bench, while Niko Kavadas is on the MLB roster as a lefty-swinging first baseman.
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