The Chicago Bears are continuing to sort out the finishing touches for the 2026 roster, releasing longtime cornerback Jaylon Jones.
“The Bears reached an injury settlement with CB Jaylon Jones and released him from injured reserve,” ESPN’s Courtney Cronin tweeted out.
Jones, 28, played primarily at the nickel position and on special teams since joining the Bears in 2022, which brings up a question about what the Bears’ plan is at nickel CB with the ongoing saga surrounding Kyler Gordon.
Bears Cut Ties With Jaylon Jones Despite Situation Surrounding Kyler Gordon
Kyler Gordon, who signed a massive three-year, $40 million extension just last offseason, has not been on the practice field for several months despite dealing with a soft-tissue injury.
As a result, the Bears have decided to place him on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, which means he’ll miss at least the first four games of the 2026 NFL season.
“I don’t know, I would hope so,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said on September 1st regarding whether Gordon will play this season. “I still have hope there. He’s going to have to continue to work hard and get back to playing football there.”
Bears’ Plan At Nickel Corner Without Kyler Gordon
With Kyler Gordon out of the mix, what will the Bears’ plan at nickel corner be?
It’s one of the most vital positions in Dennis Allen’s defense, and losing Gordon is a tough blow. While there’s no concrete plan that the Bears organization has revealed to the public, there are a few players in the mix right now.
Clark Phillips III, who the Bears received in the Gervon Dexter trade, will get an opportunity to play nickel.
“Bears DC Dennis Allen says newly acquired CB Clark Phillips III could see time at nickel, even though he was mostly playing outside lately,” Sean Hammond of the Chicago Tribune tweeted.
“I see him fitting into that nickel mix,” Allen said. “We’ll see — how quickly does he pick everything up?”
Another surprising player in the mix is fourth-round pick Malik Muhammad, who played on the outside during college.
“Kyler Gordon missing all of training camp paved the way for Muhammad to earn the starting nickel job,” ESPN’s Courtney Cronin wrote. “Allen said the biggest challenge is that Muhammad will have a constant bull’s-eye on his back from opposing QBs, but the Bears believe Muhammad can hold his own.”
Finally, there’s Cam Lewis, who signed with Chicago this offseason. He has both the ability and experience to play at both nickel corner and safety, and with the addition of Xavier Woods, the Bears are hoping he’ll take command of the nickel spot.
He started at nickel, then switched back to safety when Coby Bryant first sustained his injury, and is back at nickel since the team brought in Woods.
Regardless of who starts at nickel, the hope is they can fulfill what Allen requires to make the defense successful.
Bears Cut Ties With 28-Year-Old Corner Despite Kyler Gordon News