The Chicago Bears have become much better in the past couple of years at identifying quality talent on the undrafted market. GM Ryan Poles started off strong by landing linebacker Jack Sanborn out of Wisconsin. He’s become a quality starter on an ascending defense. Last year, they landed Tyson Bagent, who has quickly become a highly respected backup quarterback. It appears Poles may have done it again. This time, his big find is cornerback Reddy Steward out of Troy.
There wasn’t much said about him after the draft, and experts hardly mentioned his name. However, the Bears saw somebody with the mental and physical makeup for their defense. Steward was not only a strong tackler but also had seven interceptions in college, demonstrating a nose for the ball. He demonstrated the former with two tackles for a loss in the first two preseason games. On Thursday night in Kansas City, he showed a national audience what he can do with two interceptions.
One came at the goal line. The other became a pick-six.
That was already apparent with draft picks like Kyler Gordon and Tyrique Stevenson. It is easy to overlook others like Terrell Smith and Josh Blackwell, who have been quality backups since they arrived. Now you add Steward to the mix, and the Bears may arguably possess the deepest cornerback group in the NFL. It is surreal to think that, considering the position hasn’t typically been the strength of past Chicago defenses. That was almost always linebacker or defensive line. It proves that Ryan Poles keenly understands today’s football trends. Pass rushers and cornerbacks are the two most premium positions in the league. The more good ones you have, the better your defense plays. More than anything, it is a great story for Steward. Presuming he makes the roster, it quiets a lot of doubters about his NFL prospects.
