Camp Report: Chicago Bears reveling in Kyler Gordon's return as DB room continues to shine
LAKE FOREST, Ill. - No one is happier to be back on the playing field than Kyler Gordon.
The third-year cornerback has settled into the Chicago Bears nickelback role, and is just one of the handful of defensive players expecting to enjoy a bigger season.
Actually, after the past three days, perhaps the entire Bears organization is happy to see Gordon back.
The University of Washington product returned to practice last week and had a stellar preseason game Saturday against the Bengals with a sack and two tackles for loss. On Monday, he continued his momentum in practice with two interceptions on Caleb Williams.
"He didn't miss a beat," Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said.
Gordon's presence is a reminder of how complete the Bears' secondary is this season.
They have their outside starters set in All-Pro Jaylon Johnson and second-year player Tyrique Stevenson, as well as their safeties set in Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker.
Gordon, however, elevates the Bears' secondary with his versatile play.
At the nickelback position, Gordon brings a mixture of athleticism and physicality. That's important for a player that plays in coverage, at the line of scrimmage and blitzes from time to time.
Gordon's ability to blitz was thoroughly demonstrated when he flew in off the edge on a blitz and sacked Bengals' quarterback Logan Woodside.
"Everyone loves a blitz," Gordon said, noting his teammates let him hear it after he didn't strip the ball on the leveling hit he put on Woodside.
It goes beyond blitzing.
Gordon has to have solid coverage and tackling skills. He displayed his tackling when Woodside tossed a pass to Elijah Collins in the flat that Gordon stopped in the open field. It went down as a three-yard gain, but it would've gone for plenty more had he not made an open field tackle.
Two plays later, Gordon and Gervon Dexter teamed up for a stop on third and two to force a fourth down. Dexter and Gordon also came through again Monday, as Dexter's tip on a Williams' pass led to the second of Gordon's two interceptions.
Gordon's coverage skills are well-known, too. He had five interceptions in his first two years with the Bears.
His stock continues to rise, especially as he competes alongside a defense that he says has "uncommon" chemistry.
Part of that chemistry is a desire to be productive.
"That's the way I felt since we came in the first day," Gordon said. "Everyone's starving. Everyone wants to eat."
CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 17: Kyler Gordon #6 of the Chicago Bears gestures after a sack during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, at Soldier Field on August 17, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Todd Ro
An up-and-down shell day
The Bears were in shells on Monday, meaning no football pads were worn, but the team still got red zone drills in.
While Gordon did have his two interceptions on Williams, the rookie quarterback still had some positive throws. This included three touchdown throws to Keenan Allen.
The offensive line needs to go back to the drawing board, though, as the first-team offensive line (Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, Coleman Shelton, Nate Davis and Darnell Wright) were flagged for false starts three times.
Monday's injury report
The Bears had a number of players not participate in practice on Monday, but also got a few players back from their respective injuries.
Kiran Amegadije and Jaquan Brisker were practicing Monday. Brisker was limited, and Amegadije was active off the non-football injury list on Sunday. Noah Sewell and Roschon Johnson returned to practice, too.
However, Kevin Byard, Ryan Bates, Jaylon Jones, Jacob Martin, Michael Dwumfour and Collin Johnson did not participate in practice, either.