Bears can’t make this widely suggested trade for one depressing reason

The Chicago Bears are preparing to head into training camp, hoping to build on their success from last season when they won 11 games, captured the NFC North division title and defeated the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.

There is understandable optimism surrounding the Bears going into 2026, but there is also reason for concern.

Chicago plays in arguably the toughest division in all of football, and while all of the other teams in the NFC North have issues of their own, there is no question that the Bears have some very serious holes with the fall just around the corner.

One of the most prominent problems facing Chicago is its cornerback room, which will be relying heavily on an injury-prone Jaylon Johnson, a struggling Tyrique Stevenson and a fourth-round rookie in Malik Muhammad.

There has actual been rampant trade speculation surrounding Stevenson with Muhammad nipping at its heels on the depth chart, but in spite of the conjecture, the Bears really cannot afford to move Stevenson.

Chicago Bears can’t trade Tyrique Stevenson

Yes, Stevenson labored throughout all of 2025. Yes, he was benched multiple times last season. But what is Chicago’s answer if it trades him?

The Bears depth at cornerback is pitiful right now. Beyond Johnson, Stevenson and Muhammad, Chicago has no proven commodities at the position, so if it decides to move Stevenson for a draft pick, it won’t have any other options.

There is no guarantee that Muhammad will be able to excel in Year 1. While he is talented, he was a Day 3 pick for a reason, and the Bears simply cannot force him into a starting role on such short notice.

This is an area that Chicago should have more properly addressed earlier in the offseason. The Bears should have taken more care to try and add another cornerback in free agency, but they didn’t have much financial wiggle room, and they decided to patch other holes instead (like safety).

Now, Chicago is essentially stuck with its current setup at corner, regardless of how much Bears fans might want Stevenson gone. Perhaps the former second-round pick — who once showed significant promise — will rebound in 2026.

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