The Chicago Bears made a series of roster moves before departing for Atlanta, and the headliner is one fans have waited on all year: cornerback Kyler Gordon is back. After a lengthy and frustrating process of getting Gordon healthy, the Bears activated their slot cornerback ahead of the Week 6 matchup with the Falcons.

When healthy, Gordon is one of the best slot cornerbacks in the league and a player Dennis Allen has been eager to have back on defense. The Bears believe he can add a spark to this unit, and the timing couldn’t be much better.

Kyler Gordon is finally back for the Chicago Bears

Gordon has been dealing with a frustrating calf injury since last season that has sidelined him for essentially the entire year, including some time away from the facility early on in the season. Chicago activated his 21-day practice window on Sept. 30. Since returning to the team facility, Gordon has been a full participant in every practice.

Now that he’s active, all signs point toward Gordon playing Sunday against the Falcons. That’s a major boost for this defense at the right time.

Still, don’t expect an immediate difference. Allen talked about wanting to slowly bring players back off the PUP list rather than throw them into high snap counts. I wouldn’t expect Gordon to be a primary contributor in his first game back tomorrow. The goal is getting him up to speed for the rest of the season.

Even still, it’ll be great to see #6 back on the field and in uniform again. That alone is something not many expected to see at all this season, or ever again.

Other roster moves made by the Bears ahead of Week 6

Getting Gordon back required corresponding moves though, and the first one hurts the pass rush for the next four weeks. Chicago placed defensive lineman Dayo Odeyingbo on injured reserve with a quad injury he suffered in Week 5.

Earlier in the week, Bears head coach Ben Johnson said he didn’t think it was likely Odeyingbo would land on IR. But, it seems like the team wants to give him enough time to fully recover, so he will be out for the next four games. That’s a tough blow for the defensive front. Chicago is also without Montez Sweat, who was suspended for two games. So the Bears will be without Sweat for two games and Odeyingbo for four.

The Bears also released veteran safety Xavier Woods. That one is a bit of a surprise, considering Woods had been a starter in the secondary.

Chicago added the Woods during training camp as a starting option after Coby Bryant suffered a knee injury. It’s worth noting that Woods’ release comes one week after a tough game against the Green Bay Packers, although he’s not the only one who struggled in Chicago’s secondary. Yet, the team still felt the need to move on from him.

With that open spot, the Bears signed defensive back Nick McCloud to the active roster from the practice squad. McCloud spent time with Chicago last year as a core special teamer, and he adds depth to the cornerback room.

Two other moves the Bears made going into Sunday’s game will give the team needed reinforcements at two other spots hit by injuries. At linebacker, Chicago will be without both Keyshaun Elliott and T.J. Edwards for this game. The Bears elevated Buddy Johnson from the practice squad to add depth at the second level. At running back, Kyle Monangai will miss his second straight week. Chicago elevated running back Zavier Scott from the practice squad to help fill out the backfield.

What these moves mean for Chicago’s defense

Gordon’s return and the release of Woods certainly shakes up the back end of the Bears defense. I’d expect Cam Lewis will drop back to safety alongside rookie Dillon Thieneman. Gordon will take over the slot role on a limited snap count, and when he’s out there, rookie Malik Muhammad II will likely move to the outside.

That will help keep Tyrique Stevenson fresh on the outside considering he’s dealing with a hamstring injury and is questionable going into Sunday’s game.

As for the defensive line, the Bears will have Shemar Turner back to help make up for the loss of Sweat and Odeyingbo, but he’s also expected to be on a limited snap count. Two names to watch that could mix in off the edge are James Lynch and Jamree Kromah.