One Bears defender’s looming raise is set to further complicate Chicago’s 2026 roster decisions at the cornerback position
Tyrique Stevenson is set to earn a solid raise in 2026.
The Chicago Bears have had a very successful season in the first season under head coach Ben Johnson, one that will continue into the postseason after Week 18 wraps up on Sunday.
Looking beyond the playoffs and further into 2026, the Bears are going to have to make some tough decisions to sustain this same level of success next season. Johnson will have to brace for the inevitable “brain drain” on his staff and the roster will need some big adjustments.
Within those adjustments, some tough conversations are going to be needed with certain players under contract and other players that have a desire to remain in Chicago. When it comes to one position in particular, one looming price change is going to complicate that position even further.
CB Tyrique Stevenson set to earn a pay raise in 2026 going into his fourth NFL season
Tyrique Stevenson has had some rollercoaster moments throughout his first three seasons with the Bears since being drafted in the second-round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Yet, at times, Stevenson has showcased some high level play that gives the team some excitement with his development.
Availability is another strong suit with Stevenson’s game and something that can earn him some more bucks in 2026. That’s because Stevenson is on track to trigger a level two proven performance escalators by playing at least 55% of the team’s defensive snaps in all of his first three seasons.
By hitting that level two escalator, Stevenson’s 2026 salary will be raised to the original draft round RFA tender, plus $250,000. It’s a well deserved raise for Stevenson and here’s how it can complicate things further at the cornerback position for Chicago.
CB position is starting to fill up, and could push out a key player coming off a strong 2025 season
The Bears have two top contracts already in the books at the cornerback position with Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. Much has been debated among fans about the future of either player in Chicago, but the Bears would truthfully be a worst team without Johnson or Gordon and can find another avenue to free up money.
Behind those two is where the cornerback position gets murky for 2026. Considering Stevenson has one more year on his rookie deal, and the team showed early confidence in his growth, I’d expect to see him back and likely keep the outside CB2 role. Other players under contract include Josh Blackwell, Terell Smith (coming off a season-ending knee injury) and rookie Zah Frazier (who sat out of the 2025 season due to a personal matter).
Smith and Frazier are going to be true question marks in 2026 but can provide some solid depth to the position. The real question, however, is what the Bears intend to do with Nahshon Wright.
Wright signed with the Bears last spring on a one-year, $1.1 million deal and more than exceeded that price tag playing at what should have been a Pro Bowl worthy level. Wright made his intentions known that he wants to re-sign with Chicago in 2026 but his play this season has earned him a whole lot more than $1.1 million a year.
Given Stevenson’s expected pay raise and two top contracts at the position, the Bears’ front office might be hesitant handing Wright the extension he deserves, and that’s not even factoring in the big-picture view of his performance and the liability he has been in coverage.
The other option would be releasing Stevenson and then keeping Wright at CB2. But, that means paying more for an older player coming off the first good season he’s had since being drafted in 2021. To me, it’s an easy call to make, but it’s easy to see how complicated this is starting to become.
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