Kyler Gordon remains unavailable for the Chicago Bears as he stays on the physically unable to perform list because of ongoing soft tissue injuries. Before training camp started, Ryan Poles said both the team and Gordon were frustrated by the nagging issue, and the Bears were still waiting for him to get back on the field.
The situation matters because Gordon is not just any defensive back. He has been a key part of Chicago’s nickel corner plans, and his absence leaves a real vacancy in the middle of the secondary. Gordon was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 2022 and later signed a three-year, $40 million extension, but he has played in just five games since putting pen to paper on that deal.
Who is filling in at nickel corner?
With Gordon sidelined, Malik Muhammad has been forced to practice at nickel even though he primarily played outside corner at Texas. That makes the adjustment more than a simple depth-chart shuffle. Nickel corner requires quick processing, tight space work and a different set of responsibilities than playing on the outside, so the Bears are asking Muhammad to learn on the fly while Gordon remains out.
For Chicago, the hope is straightforward: get Gordon healthy and back into a role where he can stabilize the position. Until then, the Bears are left managing the same injury issue that has already slowed his availability and created an opening for a rookie to absorb a new position. For more on the latest injury update, see Kyler Gordon calf injury has no timeline, Ben Johnson says.
