The Chicago Bears have signed a recently drafted cornerback with sub-4.40-second speed to their roster amid frustrations with Kyler Gordon’s injury.
According to the team’s official transaction wire for August 17, the Bears signed former Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Deantre Prince — a 2024 fifth-round pick — on Monday in a series of roster moves ahead of their second 2026 preseason game.
Prince played in 10 games as a rotational cornerback for the Jaguars during his 2024 rookie season, recording one pass deflection and eight tackles over 141 defensive snaps. He also tied for the fifth-fastest time in the 40-yard dash (4.38 seconds) among the cornerbacks in his draft class, bringing elite speed to the Bears’ ailing secondary.
Most recently, Prince had a stint in the UFL with the Louisville Kings. He played six games for the Kings earlier this spring, tallying an interception and five pass breakups.
The Bears also signed veteran edge rusher Marcus Davenport and waived undrafted rookie running back Coleman Bennett and waived/injured tight end Nikola Kalinic in a series of corresponding roster moves as they prepare for the final few weeks of camp.
Kyler Gordon’s Return Remains ‘Unknown’ for Bears
Prince is a fleet-footed cornerback who could make a late run in training camp to earn a spot on the Bears’ initial 53-man roster. Still, the larger cornerback issue hanging over Chicago at the moment is the ongoing — and frustrating — injury absence of Gordon.
Gordon has not participated in a single camp practice this summer due to a lingering calf injury that also held him out of the Bears’ entire offseason workout program in the spring. He also missed most of the 2025 season with soft-tissue injuries impacting his hamstring, calf and groin, resulting in two separate stints on the injured reserve list.
As for when Gordon might return to the field, the Bears don’t seem to know exactly. Head coach Ben Johnson simply said “unknown” when asked about Gordon’s return timeline after their preseason-opening rout of the Cleveland Browns last weekend.
Meanwhile, The Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs has also questioned Gordon’s level of commitment when it comes to working through his injury and returning to play.
“At this point, it’s fair to question if Gordon’s commitment to getting back on the field has been at an appropriate level,” Biggs wrote August 16. “That’s not exclusive to the last three weeks. It’s confounding that he was sidelined through the offseason program after missing 14 regular-season games last year (as well as the 2025 preseason), and yet he remains on PUP.
“Everyone in the building is tiptoeing around the subject. You have a better chance of getting straight answers about the stadium situation than about Gordon’s status these days, and you probably heard how that went Thursday.”
Who Will Start in Kyler Gordon’s Place for Bears?
At this point, Gordon would likely not have enough time to get into game shape before the Bears’ season opener on September 13 even if he returned to practice tomorrow.
So, how exactly will the Bears trot out as their nickel cornerback in Week 1?
Early in camp, veteran free-agent addition Cam Lewis seemed the likely choice to fill in for Gordon after initially taking reps with the first-team defense at the nickel role. The Bears have shifted his focus to primarily working with the safeties — his listed position — in recent weeks, though, following the costly injury to starting safety Coby Bryant.
Alternatively, the Bears could promote fourth-round rookie Malik Muhammad to their starting slot role. He has stood out over the first three weeks of camp and had a strong performance in the win over the Browns last weekend while working in multiple roles, including the nickel. He finished with five total tackles (three solo) in the 34-10 win.
Perhaps Prince could also enter his name into the nickel competition if he picks up the defensive system quickly and makes the most of his reps in the rest of the preseason.
The Bears will make their 53-man roster cuts before 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 30.
Bears Sign Speedy Ex-Jaguars CB Amid Kyler Gordon Frustrations