Bears cornerback Kevin Toliver is ready for his audition.
“I feel like every day is an audition,” Toliver said. “It’s a day-to-day business. So you’ve got to come to work every day with the same mind-set — the dog mind-set. That’s all I come in here with, just to get two-percent better every day.”
Under Matt Nagy, the Bears aren’t going to start preparing for next season until next season. By Nagy’s philosophy, the priority is winning the final two games, not giving unproven players a chance to show what they can do. Even injured starters such as defensive end Akiem Hicks and cornerback Prince Amukamara are preparing to start Sunday against the Chiefs at Soldier Field.
But the process already has begun for Toliver, a 2018 undrafted free agent from LSU who has started two games in his two seasons with the Bears. With Amukamara nursing a sore hamstring, Toliver split snaps with Amukamara against the Packers — Toliver played 31 snaps; Amukamara played 28.
And that could continue in the final two games, which would not only protect Amukamara’s hamstring, but give the Bears a glimpse of Toliver’s readiness to start next season. Amukamara, who has had a solid if unspectacular season in 2019, has a $10 million salary cap number in 2020, but only $1 million in “dead-cap” money if he is cut. Toliver could be a cost-efficient solution in 2020.
Nagy acknowledged the reality of that situation. With Amukamara nursing an injury, a rotation in the Bears’ final two games — or Toliver starting — is an opportunity for Toliver as well.
“It’s good for both [players],” Nagy said. “For a guy like Kevin Toliver, getting some reps is good for him. It’s a great opportunity for him. So we’ll just balance that with where Prince is at, where Kevin’s at and then just see where it’s at for all of us.”
With the benefit of quality players around him, the 6-2, 199-pound Toliver has acquitted himself well in spot duty in his two seasons with the Bears. He started for Amukamara against the Buccaneers last year. And he started against the Cowboys on Dec. 5 this season, with seven tackles and one pass break-up. He had two tackles and one pass break-up in his 31 snaps against the Packers last week.
But even in a small sample size, he feels he’s a much better play now than when last season, with improved technique playing off or in press and better tackling.
“I just have more confidence on the field now,” Toliver said. “Last year I was a little timid — I wasn’t sure if they were going to do that or the other team was going to do this. The game’s starting to slow down for me. I can see the whole field now. I just feel way more comfortable out there.”
It’s too early for defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano to address the 2020 season. But he acknowledged Toliver can gain “experience [and] confidence” with more snaps in the final two games.
“When he has gotten his opportunity, he had done some good things,” Pagano said. “It’s never perfect. It’s a hard job. He’s doing a nice job with the reps he’s getting.”
Toliver has always thought like a starter, but now he has enough experience to believe he can handle the job. That’s a long way off at this point.
“I’ve got a lot I need to work on. I can get better at a lot of stuff,” Toliver said. “But I feel I can take on that [starting] role if they need me. We’ll just see how that goes.”
