Bears slot cornerback Kyler Gordon wasn’t happy with his injury-riddled season last year, and neither was his coach. Gordon played only three games, went to injured reserve twice and battled groin, hamstring and calf problems.
Offseason workouts don’t seem to be going much better. Gordon remained out Wednesday with a soft-tissue injury. Speaking before practice, coach Ben Johnson seemed frustrated.
“This spring was going to be a springboard for us to get going in the right direction,” Johnson said. “So, you know, we’re still working through that. We’re still trying to get that availability piece going.”
The Bears gave Gordon a three-year, $40 million extension in April 2025. The new coaching staff was excited about him — he was the only player defensive coordinator Dennis Allen mentioned by name in his opening press conference.
It’s clear, though, that they need to see him play more.
“We know he’s a good player when he’s out there,” Johnson said. “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.”
Notes
• Two veterans practiced during the individual portion Wednesday, a sign of progress — defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo (Achilles’ tendon) and linebacker T.J. Edwards (leg). Rookie cornerback Malik Muhammad joined them.
• The team that knocked the Bears out of the playoffs got even stronger earlier this week when the Rams traded for Browns superstar edge rusher Myles Garrett. Johnson, though, wasn’t interested in breaking down what it meant for the Bears and the rest of the NFC.
“Not a whole lot of thought goes into it,” he said. “We got our own business we’re taking care of right now.”
• The NFL announced the days and times of the Bears’ three preseason games: at noon Aug. 15 against the Browns, at 6 p.m. Aug. 22 in Cincinnati and at 5 p.m. Aug. 29 in Nashville. The league had previously announced the Browns, Bengals and Titans as opponents. Th Bears will practice against the Bengals on Aug. 20. Johnson said they were working to book another joint practice, too.
