Bears Lose Another Defensive Starter to Injury in Win Over Jaguars

Getty Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon.

The Chicago Bears will have another key injury to monitor heading into the bye week after losing cornerback Kyler Gordon in Week 6’s win over Jacksonville.

Gordon sustained a hamstring injury in the third quarter of Sunday’s 35-16 win over the Jaguars in London. The Bears’ training staff had to help him into the locker room after he returned to the sideline, and the team quickly ruled him out for the rest of the game.

Gordon — the team’s starting slot cornerback — is the latest injury for a battered Bears secondary that played without strong safety Jaquan Brisker (concussion) and boundary cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (calf) against the Jaguars. The Bears replaced them with third-year backups Elijah Hicks and Jaylon Jones in the starting lineup, respectively.

Josh Blackwell took over for Gordon at the nickel position, becoming the third reserve defensive back to play significant snaps for the Bears defense against the Jaguars.

In the postgame, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus expressed optimism that Gordon’s injury is minor, but he said they would need to wait until next week to better assess it.

On a positive note, the Bears will now have roughly two weeks to rest and recuperate before their next game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, October 27.

Josh Blackwell Notched INT in Relief of Kyler Gordon

Blackwell didn’t need long to make the most of his relief opportunity in Sunday’s game. On his 12th defensive snap, Blackwell jumped a pass intended for Christian Kirk and picked off quarterback Trevor Lawrence for his first career interception. The Bears took possession at the Jaguars’ 36-yard line and scored a touchdown just three plays later.

Despite three key injuries, the Bears secondary played well enough to stifle Lawrence and the Jaguars. Lawrence went 23-of-35 passing for 234 yards and two touchdowns, but the defense also held him short on third down on three consecutive drives during the first half, allowing their offense to build a lead that proved insurmountable.

Blackwell wasn’t the only substitute in the secondary who shined for the Bears, either. Jones finished with a team-high 10 total tackles starting in place of Stevenson, while Hicks tallied five tackles and one pass breakup and recovered a fumble in the win.

Not a bad day at all for the replacement crew.

Bears Could Return Multiple Players After Bye Week

The Bears claimed their third consecutive victory on Sunday against the Jaguars, giving them a bit of reassurance as they head into the weeklong break before their next game. It is also reassuring that, based on their injury report, they could have several of their key players back on the practice field when they start preparing for the Commanders.

For starters, the Bears could activate as many as two players from their injured reserve list before Week 8’s road game. They already designated defensive end Jacob Martin for return to practice this week and had him practicing in a full capacity, which bodes well for his chances of being activated to the 53-man roster before the Commanders game.

Veteran guard/center Ryan Bates also became eligible to return from injured reserve during Week 6; although, the Bears did not designate him to return to practice. If the team is pleased with the progress he has made with his injured shoulder and elbow, he could return to practice before the team travels to take on the Commanders.

Stevenson, however, could be the big name to watch. He sustained a calf injury in the middle of the practice week in London, but it is unclear how long it could sideline him. Brisker must also still clear the league’s concussion protocol to return to the lineup.

Other Bears injuries heading into the bye week:

Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens: The 2023 third-round pick missed his fourth consecutive game with a groin injury that he sustained in Week 2’s loss to Houston.

Cornerback Terell Smith: The 2023 fifth-round pick has now missed three games with a hip injury he sustained in Week 3’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts.