Injury has already ravaged the Chicago Bears‘ secondary as much as any unit on the team, and another unfortunate update in the unit regarding cornerback Tyrique Stevenson has emerged ahead of the Week 3 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.
Head coach Ben Johnson broke the news to reporters during a media session on Wednesday, September 23.
“Ben Johnson says Tyrique Stevenson is week-to-week,” CHGO Bears reported via X.
Stevenson suffered a hamstring strain against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 during the Bears’ home-opener.
The fourth-year cornerback is the second starter on the outside opposite Jaylon Johnson.
Bears Thin at Cornerback With Kyler Gordon Out, Clark Phillips III Likely to Step in for Tyrique Stevenson
Stevenson has surrendered five completions on nine targets for 107 yards and two touchdowns across 99 snaps for the Bears defense this season.
Chicago is thin at the position already with nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon still sidelined with a calf injury for at least two more contests and rookie CB Malik Muhammad filling in expertly for him.
The Bears added cornerback Clark Phillips III as part of the Gervon Dexter Sr. trade with the Atlanta Falcons before the season began. However, he has not played a defensive snap yet this season and has appeared only on special teams (12 snaps).
Phillips has been a career reserve, appearing in 28 games and earning just seven starts across his first three NFL campaigns. He missed all but one contest last season due to a triceps injury.
Bears Could Be Without QBs Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent Against Eagles
Chicago has an even bigger problem brewing under center, where both Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagents are high risks to miss the team’s Week 3 contest with Eagles on Monday Night Football.
Williams suffered a non-contract hamstring strain against the Vikings last weekend, after which Johnson said he expects the starter to miss the first time of his NFL career.
Meanwhile, Bagent entered concussion protocol on Tuesday. The timing of his injury and the typical return timeline for players who suffer concussions renders it more likely that Bagent is out Monday against Philadelphia than that he is able to play.
That will leave Case Keenum, the team’s 38-year-old QB3 when the season began, as the starting option. He was the only one of Chicago’s top three signal-callers who practiced on Wednesday.
Miller Moss, an undrafted free agent who spent some time with the Bears this summer before rejoining the franchise as part of the practice squad in early September, should serve as Keenum’s backup QB if Williams and Bagent both miss Week 3 with their injuries.
Bears Get More Bad News in Secondary Ahead of Eagles Matchup