When it rains, it pours for the Chicago Bears. Ben Johnson's team has been stung by the injury bug pretty hard lately, even losing Coby Bryant, their biggest offseason addition, for the next 4-6 months with a knee injury.
Losing Bryant was a massive blow to an already decimated secondary. However, they may not feel the same way about Kyler Gordon, who's been a recurring presence among players sidelined with several ailments.
According to Bears insider Adam Hoge, the Bears are officially starting to lose their patience with Gordon. Not only don't they know when or if he'll be healthy, but they might simply not care why he's out anymore.
'Vibes' between the Bears and Kyler Gordon aren't great right now
“This Kyler Gordon situation has veered into Nate Davis territory. Where there were valid reasons why he wasn’t on the field. And then it eventually just got to the point where it seems like everybody’s a little fed up that the guy’s not out there. That’s the vibe you get in the building," Hoge said on 104.3 The Score.
Hoge added that the team might simply be bracing for the possibility that Gordon might never be healthy. If he can play and does well, it'll be a plus. If that's not the case, then they know they can't keep waiting for him.
Gordon was a rising star just a couple of years ago. The Bears seemed to strike a great deal when they gave him a three-year, $40 million deal, but everything has come downhill from then with all of the injuries.
He's currently on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list with a lingering calf injury that also cost him plenty of playing time last season. Notably, he wasn't much of a factor when he did suit up, giving up nine catches on 10 targets for 96 yards, one touchdown, and an opposing passer rating of 140.0.
In the meantime, the Bears are giving mid-round rookie Malik Muhammad the bulk of the work in the slot, and he's looking like a strong candidate to play a signficant role and maybe even start in their new-look secondary.
The Bears have another budding rookie in their defensive backfield in Dillon Thieneman. They also reunited DB coach Al Harris with Xavier Woods, who'll take the reins after Bryant's injury. With Tyrique Stevenson's erratic play and Jaylon Johnson also coming off an injury-riddled season, this unit could be a major headache for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
This team needs guys to stay on the field. Gordon was one of the best in business before last season, and there are no guarantees that he'll be able to play at a high level again, at least not as early as 2026. To make things worse, releasing him would cost the Bears $9.45 million, per Over The Cap, so they may just have to deal with this and hope for the best.
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