Tyrique Stevenson earns All-Breakout honors, Darnell Wright snubbed

The good folks of Pro Football Focus released their annual “All-Breakout Team” on Thursday, listing the players they believe are primed for a big season in 2024. Only one Chicago Bear made the list: Tyrique Stevenson. Here’s what they had to say about the second-year cornerback from Miami:

“Stevenson was on the field for 830 snaps as a rookie and endured some struggles in the first half of the season. He looked much improved in the second half of the year, earning a PFF coverage grade above 65.0 in four of his final six starts.”

It should be added that Stevenson finished the season with 16 pass deflections and four interceptions, which led all rookies. He also forced two fumbles and racked up 86 tackles. His best game of the year came in Week 17 when he was PFF’s top coverage corner of the week, which helped the outside perception of his potential in 2024.

The best coverage of Week 17: Bears CB Tyrique Stevenson

(presented by @meetfabric) pic.twitter.com/MZWiLBnbmW

— PFF (@PFF) January 4, 2024

Bears fans always enjoy seeing their own players get this kind of recognition from a media giant like PFF, and Stevenson deserves it. I recently listed him as one of the most important X-factors for the Chicago Bears in 2024, and if PFF is right about his coming breakout year, he could power the Bears’ defense to the elite tier. However, I felt there was at least one major snub from the Bears that should have made the list.

Right tackle Darnell Wright was the second offensive lineman drafted in 2023 but probably should have been the first to go. He had some down games as a rookie, but his highs had all the makings of the next Tristan Wirfs. Bears fans watched as Wright stonewalled premier pass rusher Maxx Crosby while dealing with injuries to his arm and foot. He faced off against Aiden Hutchinson twice and allowed just one sack. Unfortunately, that sack came at the end of the game, so it was the only thing many people remembered about that matchup.

Despite all that and more, PFF left Wright off their All-Breakout Team list, giving those honors to Dawand Jones of the Cleveland Browns. Jones was good as a rookie and showed that he clearly should have been drafted much earlier than 112th overall, but Wright possesses perennial Pro Bowl upside, and I’m not sure Jones is quite there.

PFF did include Wright in their Top 32 Offensive Tackles list, along with Braxton Jones, so at least they recognize that he had a solid rookie season, though I have a hunch they’re going to wish they included him on their All-Breakout Team.

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