LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — As part of his philosophy for player development, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus is willing to use rookies in key roles. His belief is that the first-year players will grow via trial by fire.
Bears second-year cornerback Tyrique Stevenson is a shining example of the benefit of this philosophy. He struggled early on as a rookie in 2023 as he battled with some of the top receivers in the game. He lost one-on-one matchups and committed penalties. But Stevenson continued to rise back up.
By the time his rookie campaign was ended, Stevenson had four interceptions and emerged as a key figure for the Bears’ defense.
“It definitely made me better,” Stevenson said. “It was a hard pill to swallow coming from being one of the dominant corners in college, then just coming here and giving up passes, giving up deep balls, giving up stuff that I normally do not give up.
“Just the fact that I came out and got four (interceptions) in one year just let me know I can be one of the elite DBs in this league, and that's what I'm aiming for.”
The Bears traded up to select Stevenson in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Stevenson was a prized recruit who started his college career at Georgia but struggled to emerge in that program. He transferred to Miami as a sophomore in 2021 and played two strong seasons for the Hurricanes that showcased his potential, though he admittedly left more to be desired.
Stevenson had just three interceptions over 22 games at Miami. He joined the Bears as a raw rookie who needed to improve.
“Development of those young players is key, and I think it’s bigger than ever – I really do,” Eberflus said. “Because the college game is good, but there’s a lot of in and out. Guys are transferring. People are worried about how (college coaches) are coaching guys because they may transfer. We’re seeing a little bit where the development piece when we get our hands on them is going to be more and more important. So, we got to have great teachers, great developers to really enhance that skill set that we get from the college game. That’s what we did with Tyrique.”
The 24-year-old Stevenson enters his second NFL season established as the Bears’ starting cornerback opposite of Pro Bowler Jaylon Johnson. He's a key cog in Chicago's defense and a presence in the secondary that opposing offenses need to account for.
Quarterbacks targeted Stevenson early in his rookie season – in part due to Johnson’s presence on the other side of the defense – and he allowed seven touchdowns in his first nine NFL games. Stevenson surrendered just two touchdowns in his final seven contests.
Stevenson and those around him know there's still plenty of room to improve.
“You go through your first year, you go through your ups and downs, you see where you make plays and you see where you get beat at,” Johnson said. “I feel like for me, my second year was going in and dominating. For him, he has to take that next step mentally. He has it physically. I think it’s just going in and being a dominant player. That’s something that starts with your mentality and mindset of going out there every day thinking, ‘He’s not catching a pass.’ When you go out there and you have that mentality, then a lot of times you go out there and you play a little different.”
Now, there are new challenges for Stevenson to meet. Opposing offenses will know his skill set, his tendencies and his potential weaknesses. Even as Stevenson put his best form on tape, there's much to fine tune.
After experiencing triumphs and tribulations in his rookie year, Stevenson has a foundation in place. He’s using that to strive for what’s next.
“I’m aiming for All-Pro,” Stevenson said. “More interceptions, more tackles, more PBUs, just want to elevate my game all round pretty much. And I know I’m capable of it.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.