Bear Digest

Bears give official go-ahead to Kyler Gordon's return from IR

Provided he makes it past warmups, Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon has the official status needed to return as he has been removed from IR.
Gene Chamberlain|
Kyler Gordon's return for the playoffs appears to be exactly what the Bears need against Green Bay with C.J. Gardner-Johnson out.
Kyler Gordon's return for the playoffs appears to be exactly what the Bears need against Green Bay with C.J. Gardner-Johnson out. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Kyler Gordon's status for Saturday night's playoff game has been verified by the Bears, as he has been removed from injured reserve to play against the Packers.

The cynics might say he only needs to clear warmups now.

Their starting slot cornerback has been available for only three games and 117 defensive plays this season due to a groin injury. He suffered one prior to the start of the season, aggravated it and was unable to return until the Week 6 game after their bye week against Washington.

The next week against New Orleans, he allowed three completions for only 5.3 yard a catch and had a sack on a blitz, easily his greatest contribution this season. Gordon suffered another groin injury, didn't return until the Black Friday game against the Eagles, and then aggravated it in warmups prior to the Dec. 7 game at Green Bay, causing the Bears to put him on injured reserve.

In the meantime, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Nick McCloud handled slot cornerback coverage but Gardner-Johnson is out for this game due to a concussion suffered against Detroit last week.

Gordon received a three-year contract extension at $13.3 million per year prior to the start of this season.

For his career, Gordon has five interceptions, two forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.

The question is whether they'll get Gordon or a shell of his old self because of all the time he has missed. Jaylon Johnson missed more than half the season and admitted this week he's nowhere near 100%, but Johnson had surgery and Gordon didn't.

The Bears also elevated practice squad tight end Nikola Kalinic and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin for the game while downgrading tackle Braxton Jones to out and still on injured reserve. Jones remains available for reinstatement from IR next week if the Bears win.

Reeves-Maybin was brought back to the practice squad this week. His elevation and Kalinic's are largely for special teams purposes.

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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.