Chicago Bears' top rookie 'lighting it up' through OTAs
CHICAGO – Kyler Gordon's rookie camp didn't start like he envisioned, but that's certainly not the case when it comes to the start of Bears' OTAs. Gordon was taken with the Bears' first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, so it's clear the team will rely on him in 2022. He becomes even more important […]
CHICAGO – Kyler Gordon's rookie camp didn't start like he envisioned, but that's certainly not the case when it comes to the start of Bears' OTAs.
Gordon was taken with the Bears' first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, so it's clear the team will rely on him in 2022. He becomes even more important after observing the fact the Bears secondary ranked among the league's worst in 2021.
So, it should be very encouraging to hear what head coach Matt Eberflus had to say about Gordon after Tuesday's practice.
"Kyler's been lighting it up the last two days, I'll just tell you that," Eberflus told reporters. "The guy's got tremendous ball skills, he's been playing the defense the right way. And we're very impressed with him.
"He's got a lot to learn, but we're excited where he is with his ballhawking skills."
The Bears secondary allowed the third-most touchdowns (31), the highest quarterback rating (103.3), and the seventh-most completions of 40+ yards in 2021. To make things worse, the team only recorded eight interceptions, which was the fourth-lowest total in 2021.
A lot of that was due to the players the Bears had on the back end of the defense. That's why Gordon is now in Chicago.
Gordon is an athletic freak that can play both inside and outside. Those traits should make him a very valuable asset, eventually, and they're what stood out to Eberflus the most over the last couple of days.
"His athletic ability," Eberflus said when asked what's stood out from Gordon so far during OTAs. "… It's been really good. He's got a lot to learn. When you're playing corner in the NFL, you have a lot of skill sets you have to cover. You have to cover guys from all different body types, all different skill levels, and that's a big task. And it's a hard position to play. He's got work to do and he's going to do that."
Granted, it's only the first couple of days of OTAs, but this is exactly what the Bears want to see and the fans want to hear during the early days of the 2022 offseason.
You can watch Eberflus' entire press conference below:
Featured image via Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
