Bears OTA Attendance Report: Two defenders return from 2025 injuries, Ben Johnson addresses Kyler Gordon’s availability
The Chicago Bears held an open OTA practice session with the media in attendance on Wednesday with two key defenders returning for the first time since suffering season-ending injuries in 2025.
The Chicago Bears were back on the practice field with the media in attendance on Wednesday during the second week of organized team activities and the defense got some more good news on the injury front.
At the same time, the team’s highest-paid player Montez Sweat was still not on the field during the voluntary portion of the offseason and head coach Ben Johnson addressed the growing concerns surrounding Kyler Gordon. Let’s break it all down.
T.J. Edwards, Dayo Odeyingbo return to practice for the Chicago Bears’ defense
For the first time since suffering season-ending injuries last season, linebacker T.J. Edwards and defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo were spotted out on the practice field with the rest of the team.
Edwards dealt with multiple injuries during the 2025-26 season and a fractured fibula suffered in January put him out indefinitely. It’s great to see the team’s leader in the second level back so soon and ahead of the timeline he offered back in late April.
“I feel great,” Edwards told reporters on April 21. “Working really hard every day. Feel like I’m in a really good spot come summertime. I’ll be ready to go out there with my teammates. But right now, I’m just doing everything I can to stay in it. It’s great to have everyone back here. There were some cold days in Halas Hall in March when you’re doing rehab. So, to get everyone back in the building is awesome.”
As for Odeyingbo, the team’s 2025 free agent acquisition suffered a Achilles tendon back in November, eight games into his first season with the Bears. All offseason, the Bears have been preaching that they need to have better coaching with the pass rushers, so it’s very encouraging to see Odeyingbo back on the field working with the coaches again.
Ben Johnson is starting to show displeasure with Kyler Gordon’s availability
After being spotted on the field last week and taking part in warmups, Gordon was not present on the field this week as he continues dealing with a soft tissue injury. Gordon missed 14 games last season due to various soft tissue injuries and it’s clear the team’s head coach is starting to show some frustrations.
“We spoke last year and neither one of us were really happy with how it went just from a perspective of being available to get to know each other,” Johnson said Wednesday. “I think he only played in three games when I look back at it, and so this spring was going to be a springboard for us to get going in the right direction. We’re still working through that. We’re still trying to get that availability piece going. We know he’s a good player when he’s out there, but trust level is a huge thing for this team, for this coaching staff, for the locker room. And you can only develop that trust by being available.”
Ideally, the Bears can get Gordon back on the field in some capacity next week for the start of mandatory minicamp. If not, concerns and frustrations will only continue to grow.