Ryan Poles, Ben Johnson Frustrated By Kyler Gordon's Injury at Start of Bears Camp

Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson are clearly not happy that Kyler Gordon is still injured at the start of Chicago Bears training camp.

Chicago Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Kyler Gordon has been dealing with an injury all offseason long and it's very clear the Chicago Bears are frustrated with the situation.

Gordon did not take part at all during OTAs and minicamp with what was called a soft-tissue injury. We now know thanks to general manager Ryan Poles that Gordon has a calf issue.

Head coach Ben Johnson expressed frustration after Gordon was sidelined at OTAs, and now general manager Ryan Poles appears to be perturbed with the slot cornerback's inability to get on the practice field.

During the team's first press conference of training camp on Tuesday, Poles' frustration was palpable.

“We are frustrated. He is frustrated," Poles admitted, per CHGO Bears. "It's a little bit of a repetitive situation that we gotta get fixed."

“When he gets back, we need him to stay back," Poles added, per Adam Jahns of CHGO Bears.

Johnson was asked what his message would be for Gordon and the Bears head coach gave a two-word reply that shows he isn't happy, either.

"Get healthy," Johnson said, according to Zack Pearson of Bear Report.

That's a much shorter response than what Johnson said about Gordon's injury issue last month.

"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," Johnson said.

While Gordon's absence is a big deal no matter what, it's an even bigger issue after the veteran missed all but three regular season games in 2025. Now, Gordon is off to an ominous start in what is the first year of his three-year, $40 million contract extension.

Th Bears can ill-afford to not have Gordon in the lineup after a season in which the team finished with the 11th-worst pass defense in the league and didn't do anything to improve its lackluster edge rushers room this offseason.

With Gordon sidelined during the spring, Jaylon Jones saw a lot of reps in the slot, so he appears to be a candidate to step into the role if Gordon remains sidelined.

Other candidates include free-agent signing Cam Lewis and rookies Dillon Thieneman and Malik Muhammad.