Bears All-Quarter Century Team: Cornerbacks

USA Today

6 hours ago

Twenty-five years of Chicago Bears football are in the books since the turn of the century. Since the calendar turned over to 2000, the Bears have seen some success, but also plenty of woeful stretches. Early on, Chicago became a defensive force, claiming four division titles and reaching only their second Super Bowl in franchise history from 2000 to 2010. Since then, however, a 14-year playoff victory drought that is still ongoing and a one-sided fight with their rival Green Bay Packers have taken the spotlight.
For all the ups and downs the Bears have seen, however, they had plenty of talent over the years across offense and defense. Multiple former Bears players are already in the Hall of Fame, while many more provided years of incredible play in the navy and orange.
Here at Bears Wire, we're celebrating the best Bears players at each position over the last 25 years. Next up is cornerback, a group that has featured plenty of ballhawks—and a player who changed the game with forcing fumbles.
Charles Tillman
We may never see another cornerback quite like Charles "Peanut" Tillman. The lengthy physical defensive back burst onto the scene during his rookie season with the Bears in 2003 when he ripped the ball out of Randy Moss's hands in the end zone to secure a victory, and he became an integral member of Lovie Smith's defense.
Tillman ranks third all-time for Bears career interception leaders with 36 and proved to be a great cover corner, having legendary battles with the likes of Calvin Johnson and Jordy Nelson throughout his career. But it was his knack for forcing fumbles that gave him national recognition. Tillman's 44 career forced fumbles are tied for sixth all-time in NFL history, but he's the only defensive back inside the top 10. "The Peanut Punch" became a staple in the 2010s for Tillman's ability to force fumbles on ball carriers. For his efforts, Tillman earned a pair of Pro Bowl honors in 2011 and 2012, as well as being named First-Team All-Pro for his league-leading 10 forced fumbles in 2012.
Going against Tillman was difficult in itself for wide receivers, but then they had to watch out if they actually caught the ball. He's one of the most underrated defensive backs in league history and rightfully sits atop the position group for the Bears.
Jaylon Johnson
Jaylon Johnson has come a long way since his first NFL game when he got trucked by Marvin Jones Jr. The 2020 second-round pick has slowly but surely developed into one of the NFL's best cornerbacks, thanks to his elite cover skills. Johnson may not have the gaudy interception totals like some of his peers, but he's a problem for opposing quarterbacks. So much so that they opt to avoid him altogether.
After a solid few seasons in the league, Johnson broke out in 2023, becoming the highest-graded cornerback of the season according to PFF. He allowed an opposing quarterback rating of just 50.9, according to Pro Football Reference, and he nabbed four interceptions. Johnson made his first Pro Bowl that season and was named Second-Team All-Pro. He maintained expectations in 2024 as well, despite a tumultuous season from the team around him.
At 26 years old, Johnson is in the prime of his career and has a chance to become the Bears' best cornerback of the 21st century when his career is complete.
Kyle Fuller
It's easy to forget how wild Kyle Fuller's career was for the Bears. He looked like the heir apparent to Tillman during his rookie season when he shined on the national stage and then was on the verge of becoming a bust in 2016 when he missed the entire season and fell out of favor with Vic Fangio.
It took some time, but Fuller found his footing and became a sensational ballhawk beginning in 2017. Despite entering the year as a backup, Fuller became a starter again thanks to injury and didn't let it go. He totaled 22 pass breakups and finally looked like the first-round pick the team invested in three years earlier. Fuller peaked in 2018 with seven interceptions and 21 pass breakups, which led the league, during the Bears' division title run, culminating in a Pro Bowl nod and being named First-Team All-Pro.
Fuller took chances playing off the ball and had a knack for jumping routes at the perfect time. It was risky, but he came out on top more often than not. Fuller earned another Pro Bowl trip in 2019 and had a solid end to his Bears career in 2020. It took some time, but Fuller lived up to his potential in the end.
Tim Jennings
Near the end of the Lovie Smith era, the Bears were in need of a quality cornerback to start opposite Tillman. Nathan Vasher struggled with injuries, and Zackary Bowman was a flash in the pan. The solution was to sign Tim Jennings as a free agent in 2010, and it didn't take him long to become the starter the Bears needed.
Jennings helped improve the Bears' run defense early in his tenure and took advantage of the targets that came his way in the passing game when teams were avoiding Tillman. In 2012, Jennings led the league with nine interceptions while also finishing with 21 pass breakups. He earned Pro Bowl honors that season and was named Second-Team All-Pro, finishing just behind Tillman.
His strong play continued in 2013, despite the Bears changing regimes and hiring a new defensive staff. Jennings totaled four interceptions and 13 pass breakups. He even scored two defensive touchdowns, which led the league for a defensive player. Despite being undersized at 5'8", Jennings was a productive outside cornerback who played bigger than his frame.
Honorable mention: Nathan Vasher