Bears' Kyler Gordon Return Hinges on Trust, Says Beat Writer
The Chicago Bears defense has been as big a story as anything coming out of Halas Hall the past few weeks, according to www.bleachernation.com. The unit could be getting another reinforcement in Kyler Gordon, perhaps as soon as this week.
Chicago Tribune beat reporter Brad Biggs told 104.3 The Score’s morning show on Tuesday that the coaching staff has been impressed with what Gordon has shown on the practice field since his 21-day window opened. The key question, Biggs said, is how much trust Ben Johnson and the coaches need to develop before activating the cornerback.
Gordon’s exact activation date is not confirmed. But Biggs framed the decision as a matter of faith in the bank.
“I think they were happy with what they saw from him on the practice field last week,” Biggs told The Score’s Jarrett Payton on Tuesday. “He’s missed so much practice time that you talk about establishing trust and some goodwill with the coaches; that’s going to come down to how much of that do the coaches want to have in the bank before they put him out there on the field.”
Biggs noted Gordon missed more practices than he participated in last year, not just this season. That history looms over the timeline.
THE TRUST FACTOR
Biggs noted Gordon missed more practices than he participated in last year, not just this season. That history looms over the timeline.
The cornerback’s absence stretches back well beyond training camp. His missed work during the 2024 campaign, on top of this year’s time off, means the current coaching staff has seen less of him in pads than almost any other starter on the roster.
“It’s not just practices this season and during training camp or the offseason (that Gordon has missed),” Biggs said. “You go back to last year, he missed way more practices than he participated in.”
That leaves the staff evaluating a player they barely know in game-speed situations. Biggs said they still have “some things that they’d like to find out about him” before committing to a spot on the active roster.
The specific amount of trust required is not quantified in the source. But the calculus is clear: every rep Gordon takes in practice builds the goodwill the coaches need to justify putting him on the field.
The decision, as Biggs framed it, is about risk tolerance. The Bears have a defense playing well without him, which makes the threshold for activation that much higher.
JOHNSON'S VIEW
Head coach Ben Johnson offered his most extensive comments about Gordon in months last week, praising the cornerback while acknowledging the difficult road back.
“Man, he’s a phenomenal football player, and we have just been in a struggle — everybody’s been in a struggle — to get him out there,” Johnson said.
The coach’s tone shifted once Gordon returned to the practice field. “And so, he’s out there now. I’m more than happy to talk about anybody that’s out on the field.”
Johnson’s praise stopped short of a commitment. He did not give a specific return timeline for Gordon, leaving the activation decision unresolved.
The comments align with what Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune told 104.3 The Score on Tuesday. The coaching staff likes what they’ve seen from Gordon in practice since his 21-day window opened, but the trust factor remains the central question.
Johnson’s words suggest he wants Gordon on the field — but only when the staff is confident he’s ready. That moment has not arrived yet.
DEFENSE SHINES
The Bears have started 3-1 despite not having Caleb Williams for two games, according to www.bleachernation.com. Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent each started and won their first regular-season games in three years.
The league’s most dominant rushing attack has made that possible, per the source. Ben Johnson’s offensive coordination has been a “smashing success” that has carried the team through Williams’ absence.
Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense has been “very good for three weeks now,” according to the source. That unit has held its own while Gordon has been sidelined.
No specific stats or rankings are given in the source to quantify the defense’s performance. The Bears’ record and the contributions of their backup quarterbacks speak for themselves.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
The Bears could get Gordon back "perhaps as soon as this week," according to www.bleachernation.com, but no official activation date or game appearance has been confirmed.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune told 104.3 The Score on Tuesday that the coaching staff was happy with what they saw from Gordon on the practice field last week. His 21-day window has been opened, giving the team time to evaluate him before making a roster decision.
The hold-up is trust, not talent. Biggs told The Score's Jarrett Payton that the decision on activation will come down to how much trust the coaches want to have "in the bank" before putting him on the field.
"He's missed so much practice time that you talk about establishing trust and some goodwill with the coaches," Biggs said. "It's not just practices this season and during training camp or the offseason; you go back to last year, he missed way more practices than he participated in."
Biggs indicated the staff still has things they'd like to find out about Gordon. That aligns with head coach Ben Johnson's cautious tone last week, when he praised Gordon as "a phenomenal football player" but stressed the need to get him out there consistently.
The Bears' defense has been "very good for three weeks now," per the source, so there's no urgency to rush Gordon back. The staff can afford to be patient while Gordon rebuilds that trust on the practice field.
Watch for a status update from Halas Hall this week, but the timeline remains fluid. Gordon plays when the coaches have enough confidence in what they've seen — not a moment sooner.
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