Chicago Bears Training Camp: Previewing the Cornerbacks

In our continuing look at the Chicago Bears position groups ahead of training camp we preview the cornerbacks. There may be some talent on the unit but most of them are unproven.

We continue to preview the Chicago Bears position groups as they head into training camp. Today, we look at the cornerbacks unit. This group went through quite a change this offseason. The team cut ties with former All-Pro Kyle Fuller and slot corner Buster Skrine. The Fuller cut hit hard. He was the last player people expected to be shown the door. He refused to re-do his contract so the Bears, mired in salary cap hell, chose to cut him and save money.

Skrine suffered an injury and missed the last four games (as well as the playoff game) of the season. Before that, however, he struggled with coverage. It was time for the Bears to part ways with him.

The unit may still have a lot of talent on the roster but most of them are untested. Even the one veteran who is tested and pretty good has struggled recently with injuries. This unit is a boom or bust group. The players could come up big and be very tough to beat or they could spend all season struggling.

The starters

Jaylon Johnson returns for his second season. He was one of the Bears’ two second-round picks in last year’s draft. He had a pretty good rookie campaign. Being a rookie starter, opposing quarterbacks really picked on him. Most of the time, though, he came through. The one problem he had was, as what happens to most rookies, giving up big plays. While he did well in three of four plays targeted at him, the one he didn’t come through usually ended up in a long completion and/or a big touchdown.

Johnson was a first-round talent who dropped to the second round because of concerns about his shoulder. He had shoulder surgery in college so teams shied away from him. That concern came to the forefront late in the season. He missed the final three games and the Bears’ playoff games after he injured the shoulder making a hit. Ironically, it was a hit that prevented the Houston Texans from getting into the end zone.

This year, Johnson feels healthy again. He’s ready to replace Fuller as CB1.

We all miss [Fuller]. We know what his presence did to our secondary. So it’s just about moving forward and learning from what he did and just being able to implement that with the newer guys and the guys coming up. Just being able to take over that role and try to give the secondary what he gave us in terms of that leadership. It’s just about picking up where he left off.

On the other side, the Bears signed veteran Desmond Trufant. Trufant has talent, but he struggled with injuries the last two seasons. In those years, he played in only 15 games total. Can he stay healthy this year?

Trufant may have some competition, however. Second-year man Kindle Vildor had himself a great minicamp. He’s ready to step up this season and help the Bears. At the very least, he’ll push Trufant. Even if Vildor doesn’t win the CB2 job, he could play well enough to take over the slot corner spot.

The backups

In the rotation, the Bears have Duke Shelley, Artie Burns, Tre Roberson, Teez Tabor, and Thomas Graham Jr. Shelley did a good job filling in for Skrine at the slot last season. He should continue to be good in a backup role. Burns and Roberson are trying to come back from injuries so this is an important camp for them.

Tabor is trying to resurrect his career. The Detroit Lions drafted him in the second round in 2017 but waived him after two seasons. The San Francisco 49ers picked him up but he couldn’t get off their practice squad. He signed and played on the Bears’ practice squad last season and the Bears signed him this offseason. He’s a player with a lot of talent but hasn’t put it together yet.

The big surprise from this group could be Graham. He might be the steal of this year’s draft. Going into the draft, he was a top-100 prospect (#76). For some reason, however, he fell to the sixth round where the Bears scooped him up.

The reason for the drop could only be explained by him opting out of last season. He had no injuries and no red flags. In fact, his teammates and coaches at Oregon raved about his leadership skills on and off the field. Whatever the reason, his misfortune could end up being great for the Bears. He’ll eventually become a starter. In the meantime, he’ll play with a huge chip on his shoulder.

The verdict

There are a number of players in this unit who are desperate to keep their careers going so they’ll play their butts off. Some also have a chip on their shoulders at being so underrated. This may end up benefitting the Bears. On the other hand, some of those players could end up proving their doubters right. There is talent on this unit, but unproven. With Johnson, Vildor, and Graham, the Bears might have a very tough trio for years to come.

We won’t know how good (or bad) this unit could be until training camp starts. Once that happens, we’ll see how their competitive nature kicks in. The true test won’t happen, though, until the regular season begins. As I said, this group can be a big boom as easily as a big bust.