Chicago Bears may already have Kyler Gordon's replacement waiting in the wings

Chicago Bears slot cornerback Kyler Gordon is going to enter the 2026 season in the toughest spot of his career. Wynston Wilcox of FanSided noted that the combination of injury status and contract could have the Bears ready to move on from Gordon after this year. He is on shaky ground if he does not take a step forward.

The Chicago Bears have a big Kyler Gordon decision coming

Gordon looked like a hit for the Bears, and when he is healthy, he is viewed as one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL. The issue is that health has not been able to keep him on the field long enough to earn recognition.

Gordon missed three games as a rookie and four games in his second season. He missed two games in 2024, and then in 2025, he missed 14 games. This was his first year with Ben Johnson, and it appears as though it gave Johnson a sour taste in his mouth. The injuries appeared to be minor per Johnson, and he did not think that Gordon should have missed all of that time.

It was notable how Johnson discussed the injuries of Rome Odunze and Gordon differently from each other. With Odunze, he praised his ability to fight back; with Gordon, he suggested he wanted to see that more. So, it is going to be harder for Gordon to win the staff over and prove he deserves more time.

The Bears also drafted Malik Muhammad in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL draft. Muhammad played outside in college, so his transition to the slot might take some time. Still, that could allow the Bears to start Gordon for one more year, then let him walk and bring up Muhammad into the starting lineup.

Of course, that would require Gordon to stay healthy.

Still, if Gordon did not stay healthy or if the team was ready to move on, they have a clear path to do so after the season. The Bears can release Gordon this offseason and save $8.3M in salary cap space.

For a team that is about to pay a lot for its young draft picks, saving that type of money could be valuable. So, even if Gordon performs, the team could still move on from Gordon and push Muhammad into the lineup.

The ground is shaky for Gordon, and it is hard to see it getting any sturdier.

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