Bears rookie Malik Muhammad could push for starting CB job

But that was way back in April.

After the first week of padded practices at Bears training camp, Kyler Gordon remains sidelined with a soft-tissue injury. Coach Ben Johnson hasn't provided a timetable for his return, creating an opportunity for someone else in Chicago's secondary to step forward.

Muhammad, the No. 124 overall pick out of Texas, could be that player.

In fact, Bleacher Report recently identified Muhammad as one of seven rookies around the NFL who could crack the starting lineup this season. Interestingly, their reasoning extended beyond Gordon's injury and focused instead on Tyrique Stevenson's uncertain future in Chicago.

"Typically, fourth-rounders aren't in tight battles for starting jobs, but it's worth noting that the Bears' current coaching regime inherited Stevenson, and it picked Muhammad, who started for two full collegiate seasons at Texas," Bleacher Report's Moe Moton wrote. "Moreover, general manager Ryan Poles may look to trade Stevenson rather than sign him to a new deal. If that's the case, the third-year cornerback could be on the way out of Chicago, and Muhammad may be his replacement."

The idea of trading Stevenson is speculation, but the larger point about Muhammad shouldn't be dismissed.

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Malik Muhammad has a starter's resume

Muhammad wasn't some developmental lottery ticket coming out of Texas. He started 30 games during his college career and appeared in 41, finishing with 97 tackles, 16 passes defended, and three interceptions. He arrived in Chicago with significant experience against high-level competition and the kind of background that could accelerate his transition to the NFL.

Gordon's continued absence is the most obvious path to early playing time, but there's more at stake in Chicago's secondary than one injury. Stevenson has experienced his share of inconsistency since the Bears selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he now enters the final year of his rookie contract with his long-term future in Chicago unsettled.

Muhammad, meanwhile, is beginning the first year of an inexpensive four-year rookie deal and was selected with Dennis Allen's defense in mind. From both a roster-building and dollars-and-cents perspective, his development matters.

None of this means the Bears are preparing to move on from Stevenson. It does mean Muhammad gives them options they didn't have before the draft.

The ideal outcome for Chicago is obvious: Stevenson puts together his best season in a contract year, Gordon gets healthy, and Muhammad develops quickly enough to force the coaching staff to find snaps for him.

But if Gordon's absence lingers and Muhammad proves he's ready sooner than expected, the rookie might not have to wait very long for his opportunity.

And if he takes advantage of it, things could get interesting in the Bears' secondary