Malik Muhammad already has a story out there about how he arrived at Texas in college. A teammate revealed that the young cornerback found the team’s depth chart with all the names written in order. He noted how older players were mostly listed ahead of younger ones. Muhammad asked the teammate why his name wasn’t higher. When the teammate offered an explanation, it wasn’t received well. Muhammad challenged that if he wasn’t willing to work to take one of those starting jobs, he has no future in the NFL. That was the first taste of what kind of competitor the Chicago Bears‘ 4th round pick is.
The media just got their first taste of that on Saturday during the final day of rookie minicamps. Muhammad took his turn at the podium to discuss how things are progressing. At one point, he was asked directly if starting immediately is his goal or if he’s hoping to get acclimated to the NFL level first. Muhammad’s eyes widened in shock as if he couldn’t believe anybody would ask such a question. In his mind, there is only one goal, and it goes back to that fateful day in college.
If you’re not starting, you aren’t working hard enough.
Malik Muhammad continues to raise questions.
Specifically, how did he fall to the 4th round? At first glance, the young cornerback has all the traits teams love. He’s tall, long, athletic, fluid, and sticky in coverage. He demonstrated clear instincts and intelligence. His character comes across as elite. One would imagine at least one team would look to take him in the 2nd or 3rd rounds. The only explanation people can find is that he’s 182 lbs, which is very thin for an NFL corner. Yet that can be corrected with a dietary adjustment.
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Whatever the case, the Bears were thrilled to land him when they did. Experts across the board often listed Muhammad as one of the steals of the draft. The one person who probably wasn’t happy about it was Tyrique Stevenson. It was already clear that the former 2nd round pick was in the doghouse after his playing time was drastically cut midway through last season. Despite his obvious talent, ongoing inconsistency and a lack of focus led coaches to give others like Nahshon Wright the majority of snaps.
Prior to the draft, Stevenson appeared relatively safe in terms of competition for the starting job opposite Jaylon Johnson. Not anymore.
Muhammad vs. Stevenson should be a war.
The motivation from both sides is significant. Muhammad feels disrespected by how low he was drafted. He put in so much work to be one of the best players on that Texas defense, even helping them reach the national championship in 2024. Being relegated to the 4th round was an insult. By contrast, Stevenson is fighting for his financial future. This 2026 season will be the last of his rookie deal. If he can’t put together a strong year, any hopes of landing a large second contract, either from the Bears or elsewhere, will fizzle away. He’s a father now, which only increases the sense of urgency.
This is what the Bears want. Competition is the buzzword they keep mentioning every year. Johnson and Ryan Poles have said players perform better when they’re uncomfortable with their roster status. That is how it should be. No free handouts in the NFL. Either you perform up to the team’s standard or someone else will eagerly step in to take your place. Stevenson seemed to feel safe as a high draft choice during his first couple of years. That is out the window. Malik Muhammad is ready for battle, and he better be, too.
