We continue our series profiling the 25 most important Chicago Bears players by looking at cornerback Kyler Gordon.
The Chicago Bears are one day closer to the start of training camp. The players are enjoying the last of their free time before the work of preparing for the regular season gets into full swing. Many of them will still be working, trying to be as prepared as possible. The coaches will be putting the finishing touches on their plans.
As we get closer to training camp we here at ChiCitySports.com continue our series profiling the 25 most important players for 2024. We are now at number 21. The player there is cornerback Kyler Gordon.
Gordon is in his third season with the Chicago Bears. He was the team’s second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He had an up-and-down season in his rookie year. He started on the outside but struggled. As the season progressed, however, he settled down and played better. What helped was a move to the slot.
Gordon is part of one of the league’s strongest, most athletic cornerback units. He,
© Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson are the three starters. In addition to their athletic prowess, they each play a very physical game. They combined for 10 interceptions, 32 passes defended, and 3 forced fumbles. They are ready to perform even better in 2024.
At six feet, 200 pounds, Gordon has good size for his position. Additionally, he has good speed. Moreover, he plays a physical game. While he sometimes matches up against bigger receivers, Gordon has the physicality to stay with them.
Gordon has an abundance of talents to succeed. He has the physical and mental tools to find a way to beat receiving targets. The move to the slot corner did wonders for him. He settled in nicely and is a solid, dependable asset for the defense.
At the slot, Gordon has a lot that he can do. In addition to covering bigger receivers, he can blitz the quarterback, helping put more pressure on the quarterback. The Chicago Bears have had difficulty pressuring quarterbacks recently. Any help they can get from all over the field is welcomed.
Gordon also finds himself around the ball a lot. He can provide good run support and can undercut short or medium passes. There is a lot for him to process and he can do it quickly and then respond. Additionally, he is supremely confident so he he has a short memory. It does not matter what happened in the previous play, he will come up big on the next one.
© Bob Breidenbach / USA TODAY NETWORK
While Johnson and Stevenson got all the attention with their stellar play on the outside, Gordon was just as good in the slot. The three amigos at cornerback should be together for at least two more seasons, if not more.
Johnson just signed a four-year extension. Stevenson still has three seasons on his rookie deal. Gordon, meanwhile still has two more before he gets a new deal. This trio will jell even more and cause nightmares for opposing quarterbacks.
The one issue for Gordon is his health. For the past two seasons, injuries early on have caused him to start slowly. He does eventually get on a roll, however. If he can stay healthy all season we can expect a monster season from him. That will go a long way for him to get the attention he truly deserves. It also helps bring back the Monsters of the Midway that we all know and love.
Perhaps that was the reason the Chicago Bears held Gordon out of practice on the final day of veteran minicamp. He had lower back pain so the team was overly cautious. The Bears want to be as careful as possible during camps so Gordon and other players do not have to deal with the same problem later in the season.
One way the cornerback unit improves is by dealing with the new-look wide receiver unit. In addition to D.J. Moore, the Bears also have six-time Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen, and drafted Rome Odunze. There are now three excellent receivers who will test the secondary.
During practices, Gordon was tapped to be the main cover on Allen. That greatly helps Gordon get better. Going against one of the top receivers in the league every day in practice is bound to make Gordon better. He accepted the challenge and so far he has held his own. He understands that battling Allen only makes him better.
He’s gonna keep me disciplined. He’s a quick touch dude as well, got a really good release. He’s very efficient with the steps that he takes. So, for me, that makes me have to be even more efficient with my steps. I’m excited to keep battling him and and keep getting better.
The Chicago Bears’ defense is on a mission to show that they are among the elite units in the league. It pretty much was that for most of the season in 2023. However, a slow start skewered the numbers. In 2024, the Bears want to have a full, dominant season. and Kyler Gordon will be a big part of that mission.
Previous entries — #25: Tory Taylor #24: Velus Jones #23: Jack Sanborn #22: Gerald Everett
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