The Chicago Bears are set to host the Green Bay Packers in a Wild Card matchup on Saturday. The Bears roll into the postseason on a two-game losing streak and now they are dealing with some issues in the secondary.
Head coach Ben Johnson spoke to media on Monday and said the "hope" is that cornerback Kyler Gordon will return to practice this week. He also added that C.J. Gardner-Johnson is in concussion protocol leading up to the matchup.
Considering these two players are atop the depth chart in the slot, this is something to watch for Chicago as they prepare for their playoff run.
Bears Have Some Question Marks in Slot Leading Up to Wild Card Contest
This has been a year to forget for Gordon, who has been dealing with several injuries. He missed a chunk of training camp and the first four games of the season due to a hamstring injury. Gordon then landed on IR for a second time due to calf and groin injuries. The 26-year-old has managed to play in just three games, starting one in 2025.
Johnson saying they hope he can return is the best they can do, as he's hasn't shown the ability to stay healthy this season. And that's a bummer since he signed a three-year, $40 million extension back in April 2025.
With Gordon on the shelf, it led the Bears to sign Gardner-Johnson. Since joining Chicago in October, he's appeared in 10 games and made seven starts. In these outings, Gardner-Johnson has compiled 51 total tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, four pass breakups, and two interceptions.
While he's given them a boost, Gardner-Johnson hasn't been the most effective in coverage. With the Bears, he has allowed 33 catches for 309 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. It doesn't help that he's coming off a performance against the Lions, where he gave up five catches for 63 receiving yards.
His performance caught the attention of the fanbase but for the wrong reasons but unfortunately, he may not be given the chance to bounce back. Clearing the concussion protocol in one week seems unlikely, especially with one less day to account for with the game taking place on Saturday.
Nonetheless, the Bears banking on Gordon is risky. He hasn't been healthy for the entire year, so expecting him to play this weekend may be a tall task. He's had weeks off to recover but there's no telling how effective he'll be in the biggest game of the season, if he can even suit up.
And with Gardner-Johnson sidelined, they may have to lean on their third or fourth options in Nick McCloud or Josh Blackwell.
McCloud is dealing with an illness that kept him out Weeks 17 and 18 but didn't play well when he was out there in 2025. Meanwhile, Blackwell has played three snaps this season.
The Bears have several question marks around their slot position going into the playoffs and will be an area to pay attention to as they host the Packers to begin their run on Saturday.