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Chicago Bears training camp is just around the corner, which means it’s time to start looking ahead at the roster the team is bringing to Lake Forest this month.
Rookies and quarterbacks are set to report to Halas Hall on July 25, with veterans following on July 28. But before that, we're unveiling our Bears 2026 training camp position previews, where we're breaking down every player by position and examining the biggest question facing the group.
There is one position that could be boom or bust for the Bears, and that is the position of cornerback. There are two starters who have a recent past of questionable results, but for different reasons, and backups that may or may not be impactful.
Jaylon Johnson
In 2025, on a division-winning Bears team, Jaylon Johnson was absent for more than half the year because of groin injuries. He appeared in just seven games, keeping him from making the impact that everyone knows he can make. Even when he did return, it was clear he wasn't completely healthy, and it impacted his play. Johnson has been a star corner in the past, but he has to do so in 2026, coming off a lingering injury. His being the lead guy on the team at this position is why there is a high ceiling but a low floor.
Kyler Gordon
Kyler Gordon is one of the keys to Chicago's defense in the backfield. The Bears missed Gordon in a big way in 2025 as he only appeared in three total games. There wasn't enough time for him to get in a rhythm and make an impact on a team that needed him. With him in the mix for 2026, the defense is already better than it was. During this training camp, Gordon is trying to earn Ben Johnson's trust, as he hardly got to play under the Bears' star head coach in 2025. If he wants to maintain a starting role on the team, he must be on the field making an impact in training camp.
Tyrique Stevenson
Tyrique Stevenson has shown the ability to be a star, but he has also allowed non-football issues to keep him from maximizing his talent as well. Under Ben Johnson, things are much smoother, but he has to come into this year with another fresh mindset. Stevenson is the favorite to start opposite Johnson, but he'll have to earn it on the field, where he'll face competition from rookie Malik Muhammad. If Stevenson wins the job, he will carry a lot of responsibility. If he plays to the best of his ability and stays healthy, it's a great duo.
Malik Muhammad
The Bears selected Malik Muhammad with their fourth-round pick (124th overall) out of Texas in the 2026 NFL Draft. While Chicago has a loaded cornerback room, Muhammad is expected to compete for playing time as a rookie. The only question is where. The Bears worked Muhammad both outside and inside during the offseason program, so there's a chance he'll be starting opposite Johnson or perhaps in Gordon's spot if injuries continue to hamper him.
Terell Smith
Terell Smith was a fifth-round pick for the Bears in the 2023 NFL Draft. He's recovering from a brutal knee injury that ended his year in the preseason, and he'll enter training camp hoping to compete for the starting job opposite Johnson. While that'll likely come down to Stevenson and Muhammad, Smith has always brought solid depth value to the roster.
Josh Blackwell
Josh Blackwell is a defensive back hoping to make an impact on that side of the ball, but the Bears also need him to keep his stellar special teams play up in 2026. Whether it was blocking field goals in key moments, making big blocks, or recovering loose footballs, he continued to help the Bears win games on Special Teams, which can't be discounted if you're Ben Johnson and the coaching staff. This training camp and preseason will be important for Blackwell, as he hopes to prove that he can continue to be great.
Jaylon Jones
Jaylon Jones, a former undrafted free agent, is entering his fifth NFL season with the Bears. He has appeared in 56 games but isn't much of a starter. As a backup, he has the tools to make an impact on the team when called upon. With the uncertainty that could come to those ahead of him on the depth chart, he has to be ready at all times.
Dallis Flowers
Dallis Flowers, after spending some time with the Indianapolis Colts early in his career, is entering his fourth NFL season and fifth with the Bears. Like Terell Smith, he has hopes of being second or third-string corner heading into camp, assuming health for all, but special teams is a place he could find himself utilizing his skills as well.
Dontae Manning
Dontae Manning is hoping to get some playing time in the preseason as a cornerback option for Ben Johnson on the left side, but he is on the outside looking in entering the fall. He would have to have a big camp and showing in exhibition games to grab a roster spot.
KC Eziomume
KC Eziomume is in the same boat as Dontae Manning in terms of entering camp as a fourth-string, but on the right side of the defense. The rookie out of Tulane is hoping to make enough of an impact to make the practice squad at a minimum, but it is a long road ahead.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears 2026 training camp preview: Cornerback room has plenty to prove
