Bears’ Shemar Turner Left Off Year 2 Under Pressure Rankings
· Yahoo Sports
The Chicago Bears had plenty of rookies who made significant contributions throughout the 2025 season.
Colston Loveland established himself as one of Caleb Williams' go-to targets, leading the team in receptions (58), receiving yards (713) and tied former Bears receiver DJ Moore in touchdown receptions (6).
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Luther Burden III consistently found ways to create big plays for the offense. According to ESPN, "his 2.92 yards per route run tied A.J. Brown for the best rookie number of the past 15 years."
Offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo started six regular-season games for the Bears before he ruptured his patellar tendon in the wild-card matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
A majority of the Bears' top draft picks earned valuable playing time during the their rookie year. Except for one player: defensive lineman Shemar Turner.
The second-round draft pick from Texas A&M played just 74 total defensive snaps. He injured his ankle on the first day of training camp, delaying his rookie debut until Week 3. In his fifth game against the Baltimore Ravens, Turner tore his ACL, ending his season.
He finished with six total tackles.
Although the Bears drafted Turner with the 62nd overall pick and he barely produced, the Bears' defensive lineman wasn't selected by Pro Football Focus (P/ff) as one of the top 10 players who is under the most pressure to perfrom in Year 2.
A majority of the players who did make the list were selected in the first round. Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Benjamin Morrison was the final player mentioned. The 53rd overall pick from Notre Dame played 360 total defensive snaps, registering 23 total tackles, two total pressures and three pass breakups.
Even though turner didn't make PFF's list, the Bears need him to make an impact this season. He plays on the team's weakest position group. The Bears' defensive line finished as one of the worst units in the league last season.
Turner provides position flexibility, which defensive coordinator Dennis Allen can utilize. Before that can happen, Turner needs to prove he can stay healthy.
“We'll see with Shemar, this summer's going to be a big part for him," coach Ben Johnson said during minicamp. "We'll have a good six weeks off of see where he's at when we come back to camp
Of the Bears' top draft picks from the 2025 class, he's the outlier in the group. He hasn't shown any flashes of what he can do at the NFL level, creating questions as he enters his second season.
Turner has a prime opportunity ahead of him. On a defensive line begging for production, the 6-foot-3, 293-pound versatile defender can establish trust with coaches and teammates by simply maximizing his opportunities in 2026.