Back in April, shortly after Kyler Gordon was rewarded with a contract extension that made him the highest paid slot corner in the NFL, new Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen made it clear that he had more in mind for Gordon than remaining in the slot.
“Does he go outside and compete at outside corner? Does he compete some at safety? I’ve told him that he needs to be learning both of those spots,” Allen said of Gordon back in April. “We’ll figure out where that second position is where he can go and compete. Hopefully we can find some more playing time for him.”
Unfortunately for Dennis Allen, the Chicago Bears and Kyler Gordon himself, we’ve yet to see this ambitious plan in action, because Gordon missed the Bears season opener against the Minnesota Vikings this past Monday, and now he’s been ruled out for the second consecutive week as the Bears prepare for another tough test within the division, this time versus the Detroit Lions.
Kyler Gordon’s Absence Could Mean Big Things for Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions Offense
There’s obviously no good time for a starter — and a highly-paid one at that — to miss any amount of game action, but Gordon’s absence this week is particularly impactful for a Bears defense that is fresh off of a 4th quarter in which they gave up 21 points. Not only were the Detroit Lions the highest scoring team in the NFL in 2024, but they have arguably the league’s most prolific slot receiver in Amon-Ra St. Brown.
If ever there were a matchup you’d want Kyler Gordon on the field for, it would be against Amon-Ra St. Brown, a slot merchant — George Pickens’ words, not mine — who has put up absolutely huge numbers in his career since the Lions used a 4th Round draft pick on him in 2021.
St. Brown has averaged 6.9 receptions and 80.3 yards per game throughout his career, but in six matchups with the Chicago Bears with Kyler Gordon on the field, St. Brown’s averages dip slightly to 6.0 receptions for 70.3 yards per game. It’s a minor difference, but football is a game of inches, and on Sunday, any bit of resistance would’ve been crucial as the Bears look to avoid a dreaded 0-2 hole.
To make matters even worse, the Lions have also been one of the league’s best and most consistent rushing offenses over the last three years, and that’s another area defensively where Kyler Gordon has shined. In 2024, Gordon was ranked 32nd among 222 qualified cornerbacks as a run defender by Pro Football Focus. And last week against Minnesota, it was the Vikings ability to get the run game going that opened things up in the 2nd half for quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Jaylon Johnson, TJ Edwards Set to Make 2025 Debuts
To offset the fact that Kyler Gordon is out once again and it’s not looking good for Grady Jarrett, the Bears will have Jaylon Johnson and TJ Edwards back against the Lions after both standout starters missed Week 1. Noah Sewell was able to pick up some of the slack in Edwards’ absence last week, but there may not be a more important player on the Bears defense than Johnson.
At his best, Jaylon Johnson is one of the best cover corners in the entire league, and from the sounds of it, Johnson has looked like he’s close to at his best as he returned to Bears practice this week.
“I’m very happy with him,” coach Ben Johnson said of Jaylon Johnson’s progress on Friday before practice. “He comes out, he’s got a swagger to him. Confidence, he’s not afraid to talk a little bit. That’s what I feel immediately is just the presence out there. When you watch the tape yesterday [from practice], he’s very sticky. We like to eliminate the space in our coverages, and so I think he’s going to be a really good fit for us this week.”
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