Bear Digest

How devastating the Kyler Gordon injury could be for Bears defense

Downgrading their slot cornerback to questionable due to a hamstring injury can drastically alter the game plan for Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen against Minnesota.
Gene Chamberlain|
Kyler Gordon comes up with a takeaway against the Patriots. Gordon's status was downgraded to questionable for the opener.
Kyler Gordon comes up with a takeaway against the Patriots. Gordon's status was downgraded to questionable for the opener. | David Banks-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

All week the Bears' injury reports tracked their health and the biggest problems looked to be linebacker T.J. Edwards and a running back group thinned out since early August due to various issues.

On Sunday only a day before the opener, they downgraded slot cornerback Kyler Gordon to questionable to face Minnesota due to a hamstring problem. It's the same type injury he was bothered with throughout much of August as he missed time. He was out during offseason work, as well, although the team didn't specify the injury then.

Better health in the secondary was what GM Ryan Poles pointed to as something he looked forward to seeing for the opener.

"Really, because of guys getting dinged up, the secondary really hasn't been healthy together since the spring," Poles said as camp ended. "Kyler was out for a little bit. Jaylon (Johnson) has been out for a little bit. It's kind of been a little bit of mix and match there.

"It's going to be really nice when we get all those guys healthy and  competing at the same level. It's always felt a little uncomfortable, in terms of the corner position, but, again, there's been development there."

Actually, there hasn't been development and the Kansas City preseason game showed it when backup cornerback Nahshon Wright flopped against the Chiefs starters with Johnson out.

Missing Gordon means the middle of the field at the slot cornerback position is in trouble. Normally, they have a willing and well-trained backup for the slot with Josh Blackwell but he is also on the injury report as questionable with a groin injury.

Johnson's return can't be counted on as he's questionable and hasn't even had a full practice yet this year. Gordon not only is their slot cornerback, but possibly the key to the secondary. He's definitely one of the two keys in the secondary with Johnson the other. And Gordon can even play Johnson's spot if he's out.

"He's one of the most athletic DBs that I have ever played with, for sure," safety Kevin Byard said of Gordon. "He's very versatile. He, basically, can play corner, nickel and safety.

"I'm sure (Dennis Allen) is going to have some stuff for him, move him around a lot. It's always good to have a guy like him back out there with the secondary. I know that he wants to be out there, nobody wants to be hurt. I know that he's excited."

Allen had said when he took over the job that Gordon intrigued him with an ability to play numerous positions and do anything from cover deep to blitz. He even had Gordon trained as a backup safety.

Now, they could wind up with Wright on the field and Nick McCloud  playing slot cornerback if you want to go down the deeper rabbit hole to where Blackwell, Johnson and Gordon are all out.

Suddenly, the greatest Bears strength has become a huge question mark.

Even an inexperienced QB like Minnesota's J.J. McCarthy could take advantage of a secondary this depleted.

Without Edwards, the Bears might have considered more blitzing just to keep  up the pressure and give their DBs a helping hand. Howver, a healthy secondary would have been critical to blitzing plans.

Now Bears defensive hopes, more than ever, could rest with their defensive ends being able to get pressure on a rookie QB because the DBs will need that help from somewhere.

There's been little evidence of this edge rush from Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo since preseason began.

Suddenly the pregame workouts held a couple hours before gametime, even before warmups and the inactive announcemnts, might be the most important thing to watch at Soldier Field Monday as a determiner for Bears success.

More than ever, the Bears are going to need to depend on Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams and the offense to come up with what's needed to win the season opener.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.