Bears open the practice window for another impact defender and his eventual return would give Dennis Allen a good problem to have
Kyler Gordon will be returning to practice this week.
The Chicago Bears continue to get good news on the injury front going into the final stretch of the regular season that could be critical in pulling off a push to the postseason in the first year under head coach Ben Johnson.
Last week, the Bears opened the practice window for Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson to start working his way back, and he might be back in action sooner than expected. But, that’s not all.
On Wednesday, the Bears opened the practice window for another impact defender than can help turn the liability in the secondary into a strength for the final few games of the season.
Bears open the 21-day practice window for CB Kyler Gordon ahead of Week 12
The Bears opened the 21-day practice window for standout nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon ahead of Week 12. Gordon has been out of action since Week 7 with a calf injury and also missed the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury.
The impact Gordon brings to the defense in all areas of the game cannot be overstated, and it’s a reason why he was rewarded with a three-year, $40 million contract extension going into the 2025 season. Yet, when he went down for the second time this season, the Bears made a key decision bringing in C.J. Gardner-Johnson to make up for the loss.
In three games with the Bears, Gardner-Johnson has totaled 3.0 sacks, 19 total tackles, and four tackles for a loss while allowing nine receptions on 12 targets in coverage. The Bears have been beyond impressed with the energy he’s brought to the unit, setting up for quite the dilemma when Gordon returns to action.
“I think C.J. is definitely a play-maker and so he’s a guy that we’re going to want on the field,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson told reporters on Wednesday. “When we feel good about Kyler being ready, we’ll make sure we have a good plan in place in terms of how we set that up.”
Earlier in the spring, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen spoke highly of Gordon’s defensive versatility and noted it was one of the top reasons he earned his new extension. Once he was able to start working with his new chess piece, Allen learned how creative he can be with using him.
“He’s played more outside corner, so obviously that would be the comfort level,” Allen said of Gordon back in April. “Some of the things that I see him do and the way that he fits in the run game tells me that he could be a fit with safety also.
I think that’s important in today’s football where you’re not just locked into one thing. Being able to be multiple and do a lot of different things. That’s something that I think he can do. As we get to know him better, spend more time with him, start to get out on the field with him a little bit more, we’ll have a better feel for where that second position might be, and where we want to try to work him.”
Once Gordon and Johnson are back on the field, I’d expect Allen will get creative with Gordon and mix him all around the secondary to create different coverage looks. That includes putting him on the outside opposite Johnson or in the box opposite Gardner-Johnson.
Within the next three games, the Bears can be fielding a secondary that includes Johnson, Gordon, Gardner-Johnson, Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, Tyrique Stevenson, and Nahshon Wright. That’s a scary combination of players and even scarier when a coordinator like Allen is drawing up coverages and blitz packages using those weapons.
Chicago Bears News
Latest Jaylon Johnson update hints the Bears Pro Bowl cornerback may be back on the field sooner than many expected
Is he ready for a Week 12 return?
