Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles threw down the gauntlet with regards to Kyler Gordon on Tuesday, putting out publicly the distinct possibility that the injured cornerback has played his last snap with the franchise.
However, moving on from Gordon isn’t going to be simple and it probably won’t be cost-effective either. The sooner Chicago tries to part ways with the CB, assuming that’s the path the franchise takes, the less lucrative the move is likely to be.
“The Bears can’t cut Kyler Gordon this season because it would cost an additional $9.59 million in salary cap space to do so. However if they found a team that would trade for him, they would clear $10.41 million in cap space,” Harrison Graham of “Chicago Bears Now” wrote on X. “Not sure any team out there would trade for him, but potentially a non-contender looking to get great value on a talented player would offer a [7th-round pick].”
Gordon is currently on the physically unable to perform list, which means he will miss the first four games of the regular season due to whatever injury is hampering him. However, Graham noted that the Bears won’t have to wait a month to move Gordon if they can find a trade partner.
“For those wondering, yes you can trade a player who’s on PUP, he simply would remain on PUP for the minimum of 4 games for his new team as well,” Graham continued is his X post.
Bears GM Ryan Poles Cast Doubt on Kyler Gordon’s Future in Chicago
Conversations about Gordon’s longterm and immediate future in Chicago began in earnest after Poles’ unexpectedly candid comments during a press conference on September 1.
“Anytime you have an injury and you’re coming back from something, there’s discomfort you have to push through. And that’s what it comes down to,” Poles said. “So we haven’t been able to get over that hump and we’re not progressing as fast as we’d like. That’s really all I have to say about that.”
The GM then responded to a direct question about whether Gordon might ever suit up for the Bears again.
“I don’t know,” Poles responded. “I would hope so.”
Kyler Gordon’s Urgency to Play in NFL Questioned After CB Signed Record-Breaking Deal
The question analysts, reporters and fans are asking about Gordon now involves just how committed he is to football, and to playing it for the Bears specifically.
“I was optimistic Chase Claypool would bounce back in 2024, despite spending that whole summer doing fashion shows. He didn’t,” Jacob Infante of Windy City Gridiron posted to X Tuesday night. “I’m getting similar vibes from Kyler Gordon. Hope I’m wrong. NFL players can have other interests. But feels like there’s no urgency to get on the field.”
Gordon inked a three-year extension worth $40 million in April of 2025 that kicks in this season and made him the highest-paid nickel cornerback in the NFL. He then missed all but three games last year due to injury problems.
Bears Get Bleak Kyler Gordon Trade Outlook Amid Feud With CB