Concerns are starting to reemerge about two members of the Chicago Bears secondary that are impossible for the team to ignore
The Chicago Bears are set to begin organized team activities and the availability of cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon are starting to become big conversations once again.
The Chicago Bears made a concentrated effort this offseason to rebuilt the back seven of defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s unit after expressing frustration with the defense’s ability to cover, which then led to a lack of pass rush.
The first order of business was retooling the safety position after letting All-Pro team captain Kevin Byard III and former second-round pick Jaquan Brisker walk in free agency. Chicago replaced those two positions by spending big on free agent Coby Bryant and using their first-round selection to draft Dillon Thieneman.
Beyond that, the Bears also brought veteran Cam Lewis and fourth-round rookie Malik Muhammad into the secondary as external additions. The real improvement, however, for this secondary is going to be the return of two high-priced cornerbacks in Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, who missed a combined 24 games last season.
“It’s almost like we’re starting over completely again this spring in terms of relationship building and starting off on the right track,” head coach Ben Johnson said of Johnson and Gordon earlier this offseason. “But we’re a better team, we’re certainly a better defense, when those two guys are out there. There’s a reason why they’re paid the way they’re paid. We need them out there.”
Chicago Bears are already back to having issues with Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon being ‘out there’
With organized team activities set to begin next week, the Bears are back in a familiar position when it comes to not having Johnson and Gordon out there on the field.
Johnson is taking advantage of voluntary part of workouts and instead is training on his own, which isn’t abnormal for his usual offseason plans. According to his Instagram, Johnson also got married this offseason while away from the team. It’s worth noting that while training away from the team last offseason, Johnson suffered a leg injury that continued to worsen, forcing him to undergo surgery and miss so much time last season.
Gordon, meanwhile, has been out dealing with another soft tissue injury, according to Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune. Gordon dealt with a groin, hamstring, and calf injuries during the 2025 season that forced him to spend two stints on the injured reserve. It is worth noting as well that Muhammad was training at nickel during rookie minicamp.
Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon are starting a pivotal year on the wrong track
The situation with Johnson is understandable, although still something you’d prefer not to have to deal with. Gordon’s situation is simply unfortunate for a player that’s struggled to stay healthy the last few months. Regardless, the Bears are expected to open OTAs next week without both high-priced defenders.
“We’re going to talk about the guys that’s been out there,” Bears DBs coach Al Harris told reporters Thursday when asked about Johnson’s absence. “I have no doubt that, fully healthy, we’ll get what we need to see. I have no doubt about that at all.”
Johnson and Gordon are each set to enter into a pivotal year in 2026. Both players have no more guaranteed money remaining on their massive extensions after the 2026 season. When that happens, teams usually start to closely evaluate the long-term benefit of keeping them on the books and decide between negotiating new deals or potentially moving on.
The best ability is availability and while both players are exceptional on the field for this team, they can’t prove their worth if they’re not out there with the rest of the team.