At long last, cornerback Kyler Gordon has returned to the Chicago Bears and appears on track to play for the first time this season at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers in Week 5.
Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen did not outright confirm in a press conference on Thursday, October 8 that Gordon will return to action this upcoming weekend. However, he offered an extensive answer to a question about how the team might use Gordon if is he on the active roster heading into Sunday.
“I think with any of these guys that are coming off the PUP list, to think that any of them would be ready to go in there and play 50, 60, 70 plays in a game — I think that would be unrealistic to think,” Allen said, per Mason Williams of NWI. “With all of these guys, as we begin to get some of them back, I think the prudent action would be start to incorporate them in, and yet, don’t expect them to be full-time players initially on.”
Kyler Gordon Full Participant in Practice This Week Following Offseason of Turmoil With Bears
Gordon, who played in just three games last season due to soft-tissue injuries and last appeared in a contest in January, was away from the team for multiple weeks rehabilitating a calf injury on his own.
Head coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles expressed public frustration with Gordon’s unavailability and projected return timeline throughout the preseason, with some comments sparking speculation that perhaps the NFL’s top-paid nickel cornerback (three-year deal worth $40 million total that began in 2026) might never suit up for the Bears again.
However, Gordon returned to practice last week. And while the team listed him on its official injury report on Wednesday due to his calf issue, Gordon was a full participant in that session.
All signs are pointing to Gordon returning to action this weekend in Green Bay, though based on Allen’s comments the cornerback may not be doing so in a starting role. Or, if he does start, Gordon may not play a commensurate number of snaps in his first meaningful action in approximately nine months.
Bears Have Open Roster Spot if Kyler Gordon Ready to Return Against Packers
Chicago has an open spot remaining on its 53-man roster, which Johnson indicated on Wednesday the Bears will keep unoccupied in case they want to add Gordon to the group.
Other possibilities for elevation to active status include defensive lineman Shemar Turner and inside linebacker Noah Sewell, both of whom are returning from the PUP (physically unable to perform) list as well.
In response to a follow-up question about Gordon’s “buy-in” since returning to the organization after some public tension, Allen offered the following in response.
“I think it’s been more about what I’ve seen out on the practice field. I think he’s working hard, I think he’s competing out there on the practice field, and that’s good to see,” Allen said, per Williams. “I’m excited about all these guys coming off the PUP list, and what I think they can help [with], and what I think they can bring to the table.”
Bears Reveal Plans for CB Kyler Gordon Against Packers