Bear Digest

Grading the Chicago Bears' contract extension with cornerback Kyler Gordon

The Chicago Bears locked up cornerback Kyler Gordon on a massive contract extension, accomplishing yet another big goal in Ryan Poles' fantastic offseason.
Bryan Perez|
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Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles' incredible 2025 offseason continues with news that cornerback Kyler Gordon agreed to a three-year, $40 million contract extension.

Gordon's new deal makes him the highest-paid slot corner in the NFL, and will keep him in Chicago through 2028.

Gordon ended the 2024 season with the Bears' second-highest Pro Football Focus grade among defensive starters, a career-best 76.0. While he failed to record an interception last year, he did finish the regular season with a career-high 75 tackles and four tackles for loss. He registered five passes defended, too. He finished second in the league among cornerbacks with nine QB pressures.

There's nothing not to like about Poles rewarding a homegrown talent. Gordon was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft and quickly ascended to one of the most important players on the team. In many ways, he's the heartbeat of the defense, often making that signature play that lights a spark.

Poles' 2025 offseason is one to remember. In addition to extending Gordon, he traded for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, a pair of high-level starting guards, and signed center Drew Dalman, who was the consensus top player availble at his position this offseason. On defense, he added Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo as his big-ticket signings, and with news that Gordon will be in town through 2028, the future just got even brighter.

This is an easy 'A' grade for the Chicago Bears. Not only is it obvious and logical to keep good players around, but the message Kyler Gordon's extension sends to the Bears locker room is overwhelmingly positive. If you produce, Ryan Poles will reward you.

And reward Gordon he did.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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