Kevin Toliver was unable to cash in on opportunities the Bears gave him late last season and in the recent training camp to secure himself as part of their plan at cornerback. They released him today, likely clearing the way for rookie Jaylon Johnson to start opposite Kyle Fuller.
Toliver made the team as an undrafted rookie out of LSU in 2018 and appeared in 27 games for the Bears, mostly as a special teamer. He started in place of Prince Amukamara against the Cowboys last season, but played just 16 percent of the defensive snaps overall.
The Bears have eyed Johnson as a starter from the beginning, and the only significant concerns were how well his shoulder would heal after surgery in March and whether he could quickly adapt to the size and speed of NFL receivers after playing at Utah.
Both issues seem to be settled, and coach Matt Nagy said near the end of the preseason he believed Johnson was ready for a major role.
