Possible CB targets for Bears after Johnson's injury |
Dustin Riese
· · 2 hours ago
The hits keep coming for the Chicago Bears, and definitely not in a good way. Not only did the Bears suffer a historic beatdown against the Lions on Sunday, falling to 0-2, but the injuries continue to mount for this team, as Kyler Gordon, T.J. Edwards, and Jaylon Johnson remain banged up.
Gordon is more of a day-to-day type of injury and should be at or close to 100% by this weekend, while Edwards reaggravated a lingering hamstring injury and could be forced to miss multiple weeks. The biggest concern right now hinges on Johnson, who missed week one with a groin injury only to return in week two before going down again with a groin injury. It gets worse from there, as Johnson is not only going to miss significant time but could also miss the remainder of the season, as the Bears' secondary took a massive hit. That isn't great news for a defense that has already been struggling, as Johnson is the best defensive back on this team. With his absence, Gordon, among others, will have to step up, including Tyrique Stevenson, who has seen an increased role early in the season. While the Bears may have the depth within the organization to fill in for Johnson, none of them come close to providing what he can offer on the field, which could lead this team to look outside the organization for defensive back help. If that is the case, there are some intriguing names out there, and Asante Samuel Jr is the biggest name worth looking into. Viewed as one of the top defensive backs of the offseason, Samuel remains a free agent as he is still recovering from an injury that may not have him ready until mid-season. One of the better corners over the past four seasons, Samuel has logged 176 tackles, 37 passes defended, and six interceptions in four seasons. Given the health of his shoulder, concerns have been raised about his overall health this season. However, from all accounts, he remains a talented player with a lot of football ahead of him. For a team that has high aspirations this season, they may want to jump into the market now to get him before he gets fully healthy.
Samuel may be the biggest name on the open market, but there are other players the Bears could look at to fill the void of Johnson, including Kendall Fuller. The younger brother of former Bears defensive back Kyle Fuller, Kendall, isn't coming off the best season in 2024 as he opened the season as the Miami Dolphins' No. 2 corner.
The well-traveled veteran struggled from the jump, and it led to him losing his starting spot mid-season, which was a harsh reality check for him. Still, with 16 career interceptions, Fuller is one of those players who could be in line for a bounce-back campaign if a team is willing to give him a look.
Speaking of former Bears, Tre Flowers signed with Chicago during the summer only to be cut before the Bears week one matchup with the Vikings. Considering he has already spent plenty of time with Dennis Allen and the coaching staff this offseason, don't be surprised to see the Bears bring him in again, as he would be the easiest and most efficient insurance policy.
Flowers may not have made this team, but he played tons of snaps during the preseason and was one of the final players to get cut from the initial 53-man roster. Flowers is someone who knows what it takes to play in a reserve role on defense, and given the impression he made this summer, Chicago may want to give him another opportunity.
Another player who is very familiar with the Bears coaching staff is Andrew Booth, who is looking for a new home. The former Minnesota Vikings second-round pick was traded to the Cowboys last season in favor of current Bear Nahshon Wright, and you saw the impact he made in week one.
What makes Booth an intriguing name is that current Bears defensive backs coach Al Harris has already worked with Booth, as they enjoyed some time together in Dallas last season. Even if the Allen defense is different from what the Cowboys ran last season, Booth and Harris are still familiar with each other, as this could be an under-the-radar move for Chicago.
Sticking with the NFC North, former Detroit Lions defensive back Emmanuel Mosley is still available after spending his past two seasons with the Detroit Lions. While injuries, a pair of season-ending injuries, limited his time on the field, Ben Johnson knows all about Mosley as he had to go against him in practice the past two seasons.
For any team, including the Bears, to give him a chance, Mosley must prove he is healthy, but at 29 years old, there is still some football left in the tank. Before his rough two-year run with the Lions, Mosley put together a strong five-year run, accumulating 162 tackles and 33 passes defended, which is all one can ask for.
The final name on this list is a player who was heavily discussed this summer as a late offseason pickup, in the form of long-time veteran Stephon Gilmore. One of the best, if not the best, coverage corners in the game, Gilmore is on the downside of his career, but he still put together a strong season with the Vikings in 2024.
You can see that his age has started to catch up to him, but this is another player who has played for Harris in Dallas, and you have to wonder how much of a factor that could be in his decision. Known for his coverage skills and a similar skill set to what Johnson offers, Gilmore would not only be an excellent reinforcement but also a veteran locker room leader, as this team could use a guy like that.
