​The 2025 Bears defense embodied a boom-or-bust profile, producing the most turnovers in the league while yielding the fourth-most yards. As the team enters the second training camp under the same coaching staff, the unit will feature several new faces and a few familiar ones competing for starting roles. Here are three Chicago Bears training camp battles that are poised to shape the defense.
In the secondary, the cornerback position opposite Tyrique Stevenson is wide open. After star corner Jaylon Johnson suffered an injury during last year’s camp, career backup Nashon Wright seized the moment and earned the starting job next to Stevenson. Wright has since departed in free agency to sign with the New York Jets, and Stevenson was demoted when Johnson returned from injury. With Wright gone, the competition for the other starting cornerback spot appears to be a two-man race that pits youth against experience. Stevenson is entering a critical phase in his career. He appeared in 13 games with 10 starts in 2025, posting a 86.3 passer rating against and career-low numbers in tackles and interceptions. Now in his fourth season with Chicago, Stevenson has familiarity with the organization and with coach Ben Johnson. With his contract year on the horizon, defensive backs coach Al Harris has said Stevenson is “totally different” and markedly more focused this offseason. The Bears’ decision to select corner Malik Muhammad in the 2026 draft — trading up after he fell to the fourth round despite a standout 2025 season that saw him allowed a 37.4 passer rating — adds another layer to the competition. Muhammad stood out during OTAs, taking first-team reps at outside corner and signaling a strong chance to start opposite Johnson. Presently, the favorite to win the job is Stevenson, but Muhammad could push him hard as camp progresses.
On the other side of the ball, the Bears are looking to accelerate their speed on defense after being burned by speedy receivers last season. Free agency brought in Devin Bush Jr., a 27-year-old linebacker noted for his athleticism and quickness after a standout year with the Browns in 2025. He is expected to compete for a starting role at linebacker opposite him. The coaching staff will rely on training camp to determine who earns the job alongside Bush. Meanwhile, veteran T.J. Edwards, who joined the Bears in 2023, has been a fixture in the middle of the field and started every game in 2024, providing stability and leadership. The question at camp is how the rest of the linebacking corps will shake out and which players will complement Bush’s speed to create a faster, more versatile unit.
In the third area of competition, the Bears must determine how to maximize their interior defense and overall line speed. The linebacker group has already undergone changes, with Bush bringing speed and Edwards offering consistency inside. The rest of the linebacking corps will contend for the opposite side of Bush, and the team will look to camp to identify which players can contribute immediately, especially in passing matches and run fits.
Overall, the 2025 Bears defense enters training camp with several high-profile battles that could define the future of the unit. The cornerback competition opposite Stevenson is a centerpiece, with Muhammad presenting a real challenge and Stevenson aiming to prove his value in a contract year. The linebacker battle to partner with Bush will shape the defense’s athletic profile, while the interior line could benefit from strategic depth and new personalities. As headlines and rosters shift through training camp and into the preseason, these battles will determine not only starting roles but also the defensive identity Chicago fans can expect moving forward.