Anyone trying to glean meaningful information from the NFL preseason should always proceed with caution — but that said, the Chicago Bears have a lot to celebrate following a 34-10 drubbing of the Cleveland Browns on Saturday, August 15.
Beyond quality play from multiple late-round rookies, head coach Ben Johnson shared multiple injury updates following the contest. Among them were optimistic takes on the timelines of return for edge-rusher Montez Sweat and potential starting left tackle Braxton Jones.
However, Johnson offered just a one-word response with regards to nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon’s health status, as Gordon continues to battle soft-tissue injuries that have plagued him all offseason.
“Unknown,” Johnson said of Gordon’s possible return date, per Dan Wiederer of The Athletic.
Meanwhile, the Bears coach added that he expects Sweat and Jones will be back at practice at some point during the upcoming week.
Bears Can’t Afford Any More Injuries to Crucial Players
GettyDefensive end Montez Sweat of the Chicago Bears.
The health of both Sweat and Jones is crucial to Chicago’s hopes of success in 2026.
Sweat led the team with 10 sacks last season and became the first Bears player to eclipse the double-digit mark in that statistical category since Robert Quinn posted 18.5 sacks for Chicago in 2021.
The Bears did not spend on a pass-rusher in free agency and chose not to chase one in the draft back in April, with ESPN’s Mina Kimes suggesting on multiple occasions that the board simply never fell correctly to where Chicago could have taken a reasonable value swing on such a player.
Part of the presumed strategy among Johnson and his cohorts is to lean heavily on what could be a fairly dynamic offense and protect against a lack of a pass-rush by stocking up on talent throughout the secondary.
However, the injury to Gordon and the uncertainty surrounding his playing future in 2026, coupled with knee surgery for $40 million free agent safety Coby Bryant that might sideline him for up to six months, has changed drastically the makeup of a Chicago secondary that is now strained for depth.
Jones’ injury is also a serious concern for the offense, even though Johnson benched him last season before multiple injuries derailed the veteran OL’s campaign.
Ozzy Trapilo, a second-round rookie in 2025, took over the starting LT job down the stretch and played above-average football before tearing his patellar tendon during Round 1 of the playoffs. When he will return to action also remains unclear.
Ben Johnson Sends Curt 1-Word Message on Kyler Gordon Amid Ongoing Injury