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The Chicago Bears have a couple of pressing needs in the trenches, but the team could also look to solidify its secondary depth with the regular season just around the corner.
Chicago inked All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson to a monster extension this offseason after drafting his running mate in Tyrique Stevenson with a second-round pick the year before. Those two will start in the Bears secondary this season, though the NFL Scouting Department at Bleacher Report believes the team should add a veteran presence to the second-string as insurance against injury and/or poor play.
Their suggestion on Monday, August 26, was eight-time Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson.
“While Tyrique Stevenson has a bright future in Chicago, the team is set up to win now and might want to bring in a veteran corner to play on the other side of Jaylon Johnson in case Stevenson stumbles out of the gate,” B/R wrote. “Peterson is past his prime at 34, but he’s had good ball production over the last two years with [7] interceptions and 26 passes defended while playing in two different defenses. So, the 13-year pro could still contribute in the Midway and be a good mentor for Stevenson.”
Patrick Peterson Still Viable NFL Starter at Age 34
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GettyCornerback Patrick Peterson, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Peterson will probably end up in the Hall of Fame after producing Pro Bowl campaigns in his first eight seasons, which included three First-Team All-Pro honors. But as B/R noted, he’s been good individually in the latter portion of his career while also contributing to meaningful winning.
The cornerback started in the NFL in 2011 with the Arizona Cardinals, with whom he played through the 2020 campaign. Peterson played the next two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, helping them to an NFC North Division title and a Wildcard Playoff berth in 2022 on the strength of 15 pass breakups and 5 INTs across 17 regular-season starts.
Peterson landed with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season where he started 16 of 17 games, broke up 11 passes and snagged 2 INTs. The team went on to a 10-7 record and a Wildcard Playoff berth coming out of the AFC North — arguably the toughest division in football in 2023, as all four teams finished the year with a winning record and three appeared in the postseason.
For his career, Peterson has started 200 of the 201 regular-season games in which he has appeared. He has logged 122 pass breakups, 36 INTs, 15 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles and 2 defensive touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference.
Patrick Peterson Can Help Bears at Cornerback, Safety
GettyCornerback Patrick Peterson, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Bears listed Kyler Gordon as their starting nickel cornerback in the team’s most recent unofficial depth chart, but the position lacks significant experience beyond the three starters. That isn’t to say they are absent young talent there in the form of players like Terell Smith, but he has just 12 games of experience heading into his second year.
Peterson would provide depth, and could potentially compete for a starting role with Stevenson, at a premier position. And the Bears could probably acquire him at a reasonable price. Peterson played on one-year deals in Minnesota for $8 million and $4 million in 2021 and 2022, respectively, before signing a two-year deal worth $14 million to join the Steelers, according to Spotrac.
Furthermore, Peterson has expressed a willingness to step into a safety role, at least on a part-time basis. Chicago added veteran Kevin Byard this offseason to start alongside Jaquan Brisker at the second safety spot. However, questions have surrounded the signing, particularly with regards to whether Byard’s best days are behind him as he enters his age-31 campaign.
Adding Peterson in a backup role could be something of a two-for-one signing for the Bears if they are straight up with the veteran defensive back about potentially filling in at both cornerback and safety. In that scenario, Chicago would add extra value on top of a winning player who has proven capable of playing big and meaningful minutes for competitive teams into his mid-30s.
