The Chicago Bears won’t have one of their highest-paid defenders available to help them chase an NFL playoff bid in the final weeks of the 2025 season.
In a series of December 13 roster moves, the Bears officially placed nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon on the injured reserve list with the groin injury that he sustained during pregame warm-ups before Week 14’s road game against the Green Bay Packers.
The Bears had known that Gordon — who did not play against the Packers — would not be available for Week 15’s game against the Browns heading into the weekend. He sat out the entire week of practice with his injury and was ruled out on the injury report.
The move to injured reserve will knock Gordon out for the next four games, though, meaning he will not even have a chance of returning if the Bears miss the playoffs.
On the bright side, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the Bears placed Gordon on injured reserve “with the hopes he returns for the playoffs,” but Chicago is currently the No. 7 seed in the NFC and has more work to do to lock up a spot in the postseason.
The Bears (9-4) will host the Browns (3-10) at Soldier Field at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, December 14.
Kyler Gordon Played a Career-Low 117 Snaps in 2025
Injuries have not been kind to Gordon over the past several months.
Since signing his three-year, $40 million contract extension in April, Gordon has rarely been on the field for the Bears due to a myriad of injuries. He missed time in camp with a hamstring injury that also cost him the first four games of the regular season. He also spent five weeks on injured reserve with a calf injury that struck him in late October.
All told, Gordon will have played a career-low 117 defensive snaps over three games for the Bears in 2025. He had never missed more than four games in a single season before.
The Bears might not feel much buyer’s remorse about making Gordon the highest-paid slot cornerback in the league after one lost season, but his struggles with injuries could influence how they build their roster in the 2026 offseason. At the very least, it warrants them considering a contract extension for Gordon’s fill-in, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Gardner-Johnson has tallied 33 tackles, three sacks, five quarterback hits, one forced fumble and one interception for the Bears in the six games since he joined the roster, stepping up into Gordon’s role and making an impact for Dennis Allen’s defense.
Bears Also Elevated 2 From Practice Squad vs. Bears
The Bears also elevated running back Brittain Brown and veteran linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin from the practice squad to the game-day roster for Week 15’s home game against the Browns in December 13’s final batch of weekend roster moves.
In Brown’s case, the Bears needed more running back reinforcements. Veteran D’Andre Swift and rookie Kyle Monangai are good to go as the Bears’ formidable 1-2 punch, but veteran Travis Homer — their third-string option — was ruled out with an ankle injury. Brown, who scored a touchdown in one of his previous elevations, can help with that.
Meanwhile, Reeves-Maybin’s promotion is likely more about what he can bring to the table on special teams than anything else. None of Chicago’s linebackers are carrying an injury designation into Sunday’s game against Cleveland, but the Bears may want more reinforcements in the third phase with one of their top assets, Homer, out of the mix.
Bears Lose $40 Million Defender for Season Ahead of Browns Game