Bears CB Jaylon Johnson Could Return During 2025 Season
Early in his season debut in Week 2, Jaylon Johnson suffered a groin injury after missing considerable training camp time with a different one. Shortly after going down, it became clear the Bears’ top corner could miss the remainder of the season.
The door is open to a return late in the campaign, though. Johnson is expected to finalize plans for core muscle surgery this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Head coach Ben Johnson confirmed that is the case (h/t ESPN’s Courtney Cronin) while adding a return late in the campaign could be possible.
Losing Johnson has dealt a major blow to the Bears’ secondary, and he remains on track to miss at least the bulk of Chicago’s remaining schedule. The unit has also been without star nickel Kyler Gordon so far this season due to a hamstring injury. Their replacements – Nahshon Wright on the boundary and Nick McCloud in the slot – have given up four touchdowns and more than 300 yards when targeted in their first three games, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Getting their starting cornerbacks back on the field as soon as possible would be a significant boost to a struggling defense. The Bears sit 28th in points allowed under Dennis Allen and 29th in total defense. Gordon should return to the field well before Johnson, though the Bears may take a cautious approach and hold him out until after their Week 5 bye. Johnson will take much longer, and if the Bears are out of playoff contention when he’s ramping up, the risk of re-injury might not be worth a few appearances at the end of the season.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.
DB Notes: 49ers, Gordon, Lions, Colts, Titans
The 49ers‘ decision to let Charvarius Ward walk in free agency points to Renardo Green receiving an extended opportunity to become a full-time starter opposite Deommodore Lenoir. Extended months before Ward’s departure, Lenoir has worked as both a boundary and slot corner. His $17.96MM-per-year contract, which checks in far north of the slot-only market, reflects this versatility. But the 49ers have been unable to find a pure slot option since K’Waun Williams departed in 2022. The team will give third-round pick Upton Stout a shot to buck that trend, according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco.
Standing 5-foot-8, Stout profiles as a slot performer. He excelled in the role in a college career spent at North Texas and Western Kentucky. Stout also led all DBs in the gauntlet drill and bench press (21 reps) at the Combine, creating an interesting profile. The 49ers’ issues in the slot have prompted them to use Day 2 picks on two corners (Green, Stout) since 2024; Stout proving up to the task would stand to limit Lenoir’s inside work. It will be interesting to see if the 49ers will keep their top cover man on the perimeter.
Here is the latest from NFL secondaries:
- Kyler Gordon‘s $13.3MM-per-year deal set the market for slot patrolmen recently. That deal checks in more than $11MM south of Jaycee Horn‘s extension and a whopping $16MM-plus lower than where Derek Stingley Jr. has taken the boundary CB market. While a recent Trade Rumors Front Office post highlighted the value teams receive when they identify a quality slot defender, the Bears are not committed to keeping Gordon inside. New Bears DC Dennis Allen said (via ChicagoBears.com’s Larry Mayer) Gordon will train at safety and at outside corner in his scheme, as the team looks to increase its recently extended defender’s usage rate. Gordon played 97% of Chicago’s defensive snaps as a rookie, but upon shifting to more of a slot role in 2023, the former second-round pick has not cleared 80% in a season since.
- The Lions will have 2024 second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw train on the outside in Kelvin Sheppard‘s first DC offseason, per Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers. Playing only 46 defensive snaps as a rookie, the 5-11 CB received what amounted to a redshirt year. The Lions used a premium pick on Rakestraw, though he does not look to have a path to a starting job in a secondary that will feature Terrion Arnold, D.J. Reed and Amik Robertson as regulars.
- Detroit also added some depth in Avonte Maddox, a longtime Eagles slot corner who drifted to a backup role after a slew of injuries. Maddox will be expected to serve as a backup in the slot and at safety, according to Lions safeties coach Jim O’Neil (via Rogers). Maddox, who did make a pivotal pass breakup in Super Bowl LIX, saw his snap share drop to 33% last season — after he missed most of 2023. The eighth-year veteran is on a one-year, $1.42MM deal ($1.2MM guaranteed).
- Titans third-round pick Kevin Winston, per HC Brian Callahan, is expected to be cleared for training camp after sustaining a partial ACL tear last year. Winston, who suffered the injury in early September, underwent knee surgery but had recovered in time to run at the Penn State pro day. The Titans chose Winston with the No. 82 overall pick.
- The Colts roster one of the NFL’s best slot corners, and Kenny Moore is going into his ninth season with the team. Indianapolis, however, may be grooming an heir apparent. They team is likely to have third-round pick Justin Walley begin his offseason in the slot, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Moore’s three-year, $30MM contract features a fully guaranteed 2025 salary but no guarantees beyond this year. The Pro Bowl defender, who has protected the Colts at one CB spot while they have dealt with enduring issues on the perimeter, is going into his age-30 season.
Bears Extend CB Kyler Gordon
APRIL 17: Gordon’s pact contains $28MM in new guarantees, as detailed by Over the Cap. That figure includes a $10MM signing bonus; his base salaries for 2025 ($1.26MM) and ’26 ($10MM) are locked in as well. The deal also contains $510K in per-game roster bonuses from 2026-28, and Gordon will receive a $1MM roster bonus if he is on the team by the third day of the league year in 2028.
APRIL 13: The Bears agreed to terms with cornerback Kyler Gordon on a three-year, $40MM contract extension, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Gordon, the 39th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, was entering the final year of his rookie contract and Bears general manager Ryan Poles identified an extension as a “priority” at league meetings at the beginning of April. Less than two weeks later, the 25-year-old is under contract through the 2028 season as a vital piece of Chicago’s secondary.
Gordon’s $13.33MM APY and $31.25MM in guaranteed money are the highest of any nickel defender in the NFL, surpassing the deal signed by Jalen Pitre last week. Gordon’s salary still places him outside of the league’s top-20 highest-paid cornerbacks, reflecting the smaller market for players who line up almost exclusively in the slot.
Gordon hasn’t spent a significant amount of time on the boundary since his rookie year, when he started 14 games and notched three interceptions. He then moved into the slot full-time in 2023, which featured two more interceptions in 13 appearances as well as a stint on injured reserve. Gordon appeared in 15 games in 2024 and finished the year as the Bears’ second-highest-graded defender by Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
This is the second straight offseason in which Chicago extended one of its young starting cornerbacks. The team signed 2020 second-rounder Jaylon Johnson to a four-year, $76MM extension in March 2024, and another second-round corner, Tyrique Stevenson, will be extension-eligible after the 2025 season. After extending Gordon, the Bears now have all three signed through 2026.
The Bears’ remaining candidates for offseason extensions are left tackle Braxton Jones and linebacker T.J. Edwards, both of whom are entering the last year of their rookie deals.
Bears Eyeing CB Kyler Gordon Extension
Kyler Gordon is among the extension candidates on Chicago’s roster, and a new deal was floated as a likely objective for the team earlier this offseason. The latest comments on that front from general manager Ryan Poles confirm that is the case.
“That will still be a priority,” Poles said of a Gordon extension (via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin). “For me, in our exit meetings at the end of last season, I told all the guys in terms of future, if it was contracts, coming back… the important thing is I’ve got to get with our new coaching staff and kind of see how the different players fit based on the scheme. We’ve been able to have those conversations and I know Kyler is a guy that we want to be a part of this moving forward.
“So the timing of that, I’m not sure how that all is going work out, but that is a priority.”
A second-round pick in 2022, Gordon has established himself as a core member of Chicago’s secondary. He has made 34 starts to date, and another campaign of primarily operating in the slot can be expected for 2025. The 25-year-old could command a lucrative deal on the open market next offseason if he gets the opportunity, especially if he builds off his five career interceptions and 17 pass breakups.
Given Poles’ remarks, though, it is clear avoiding such as scenario is a goal for the Bears. Chicago made a major investment in fellow corner Jaylon Johnson last offseason, inking him to a four-year, $76MM extension after using the franchise tag. Adding considerably to the resources devoted to the secondary with a second Gordon contract would lead to challenges at other positions, of course, but especially with quarterback Caleb Williams on his rookie deal doing so would be feasible.
Tyrique Stevenson has started all but two games to date in his career, and he could again find himself as a first-team option next season. As Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes, though, Terell Smith could compete for that role this summer. Regardless of how that shakes out, adding further options at the position could be a goal during the draft, Biggs adds. Any moves for slot corners would be viewed as a depth addition, given Gordon’s presence on a defense which will be led by Dennis Allen moving forward.
The Washington product is slated to earn $1.89MM in 2025 as things stand. That figure could rise considerably in the form of a signing bonus should a long-term pact be worked out, something to watch for as the offseason unfolds.
Bears Could Attempt To Work Out Kyler Gordon Extension This Offseason
Last offseason, one of the Bears’ top priorities was working out a deal with cornerback Jaylon Johnson. After applying the franchise tag, a four-year, $76MM extension was signed; 2025 could see another long-term commitment made at the position. 
As a 2022 draftee, Kyler Gordon is now eligible for a new deal. He is still attached to his rookie contract for 2025, but without a fifth-year option being in place, it would be feasible for the Bears to negotiate an extension this spring. Indeed, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes it would not come as a surprise if Gordon were to be among the team’s top financial priorities.
The 25-year-old has started 34 of his 42 games with Chicago, operating as a key figure in the team’s secondary. Gordon has settled into a full-time role as slot corner, and he has amassed 17 pass deflections and five interceptions during his three years in the league. While high-end producers on the perimeter have landed lucrative deals in recent years, the top of the market for slot CBs has not enjoyed the same forward momentum. Gordon – who has played all-but exclusively on the inside the past two seasons – could look to close the gap on an extension.
“That [pay difference] is crazy because to me I feel like I play three positions, really four positions almost,” the former second-rounder said. “I feel like I play linebacker, safety, nickel and corner. It’s crazy to think that doesn’t get incorporated. That’s just what the business is.”
11 corners (including Johnson) are currently averaging at least $19MM per season on their contracts. With respect to players who primarily (or entirely) play in the slot, though, the top of the market is $10.25MM. That is the average annual value of Michael Carter II and Taron Johnson‘s extensions signed last year with the Jets and Bills, respectively. As a result, any new Gordon pact will likely check in near that figure.
Chicago already has Johnson in place as a long-term commitment, and safety Jaquan Brisker is also eligible for an extension. Tyrique Stevenson, meanwhile, will be in the same position one year from now, so the Bears’ secondary will soon become much more expensive if it is to remain intact beyond the next few seasons. A key factor in determining whether or not that will be the case will of course be how the team proceeds with Gordon.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/14/23
Here are today’s minor transactions heading into the Week 6 weekend:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: OL Dennis Daley
- Elevated: CB Bobby Price, RB Damien Williams
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: S Micah Abernathy, DT LaCale London
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from IR: RB Keaton Mitchell
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: LB Baylon Spector
- Elevated: CB Ja’Marcus Ingram
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: CB Kyler Gordon (story)
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: CB Khalil Dorsey
- Signed to active roster: T Dan Skipper
- Elevated: RB Devine Ozigbo
- Placed on IR: RB Zonovan Knight, CB Emmanuel Moseley (story)
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: WR Noah Brown
- Elevated: CB D’Angelo Ross
- Waived: CB Alex Austin
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: CB Tyler Hall, G Netane Muti
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: DT Marquise Copeland, DT Cory Durden
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: G Robert Jones
- Elevated: TE Tanner Conner
New Orleans Saints
- Signed to active roster: RB Jordan Mims
- Elevated: TE J.P. Holtz, S Daniel Sorensen
- Placed on IR: FB Adam Prentice
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: G Jalen Mayfield
- Elevated: QB Tommy DeVito, G Justin Pugh
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: LB Nakobe Dean
- Elevated: WR Devon Allen, CB Mekhi Garner
- Placed on IR: WR Quez Watkins
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: CB Shemar Jean-Charles, LB Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: WR Cody Thompson
- Placed on IR: CB Coby Bryant
Dean took the starting role the Eagles had in store for him in Week 1, but a foot injury interrupted his second NFL campaign. The 22-year-old was poised to return ahead of Sunday’s game by returning to practice earlier this week, though, and a first-team role is expected to await him upon suiting up. Dean taking on a heavy workload will relegate Nicholas Morrow (who was promoted from the practice squad) to backup duty despite the latter’s strong performances so far.
Seattle has seen fellow corners Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen enjoy considerable success, but the team’s secondary will be shorthanded without Bryant. The latter will miss at least the next four weeks as a result of the IR move as he recovers from a toe injury. The 2022 fourth-rounder, who has seen his defensive snap share jump from 65% to 77% this year, has not played since Week 2.
Bears Designate CB Kyler Gordon For Return, Sign QB Nathan Peterman To Practice Squad
The Bears could have their starting slot corner back in the fold as early as Week 6. Kyler Gordon was designated for return from injured reserve on Monday, per a team announcement. Backup center Doug Kramer has also had his practice window opened. 
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As a result of the move, both players are now clear to return to practice. They can do so for up to 21 days before Chicago will be required to activate them or see them revert to season-ending IR. Bringing back the pair will use up two of the team’s seven remaining IR activations.
Gordon suffered a broken hand in the season opener, and the surgery he underwent opened the door to an IR stint the following week. The team was optimistic he would be able to return at the first opportunity, and that would prove to be the case if he were to be activated this week. A 2022 second-rounder, Gordon played on the outside as a rookie but has moved to the slot for the 2023 campaign. His return will allow Chicago to have its top trio of Gordon, Jaylon Johnson and rookie Tyrique Stevenson in place at the CB spot.
Gordon, 23, showed plenty of promise last season, racking up 71 tackles, three interceptions and six pass deflections. The Washington alum left plenty to be desired in coverage, though, allowing three touchdowns and a passer rating of 102 as the nearest defender. That led to a poor PFF grade of 49.8, but a return to action will give him the chance to show improvement and in doing so give a boost to the Bears’ secondary.
In other roster news, the Bears retained quarterback Nathan Peterman by signing him to the practice squad. The veteran was released last week in a move which confirmed undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent‘s status as the backup to Justin Fields. Chicago did not have another passer in the organization beyond that pair for a time, however, so it comes as little surprise that Peterman will remain in the Windy City. The 29-year-old spent last season on and off the team’s taxi squad, and that arrangement is now set continue in 2023.
Bears Place CB Kyler Gordon On IR
The hand injury Kyler Gordon suffered in Week 1 will sideline him for an extended period. The Bears feared Gordon suffered a broken hand in the Bears’ opener, per the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs, and have since placed him on IR.
Gordon must miss at least four games. He underwent surgery this week, with The Athletic’s Adam Jahns confirming that the second-year corner sustained a broken hand. That said, Jahns adds Gordon is expected back when first eligible (Week 6).
Chicago drafted Gordon in the 2022 second round and have used him as a starter since doing so. Gordon shifted into a full-time slot role this offseason, accommodating the team’s latest second-round corner investment (Tyrique Stevenson). Gordon suffered the injury on a blitz in Chicago’s loss to Green Bay on Sunday.
Rolling out a Gordon-Stevenson-Jaylon Johnson trio comprised of Round 2 picks, the Bears have devoted notable draft capital to this spot. They will not have a chance to see the trio in action together again until mid-October. Players placed on IR in-season must miss at least four contests. Clubs can activate up to eight players from the injured list during a season.
The Bears will be set to turn to Josh Blackwell as their primary nickel, per the Chicago Sun-Times’ Mark Potash. A 2022 Eagles UDFA-turned-Bears waiver claim, Blackwell played in 16 Bears games last season but logged only 133 defensive snaps. The Bears also promoted Greg Stroman from their practice squad. Stroman is a sixth-year vet who has been with the Bears since April 2022. The former Washington seventh-round pick played in two games for Chicago last year.
Chosen 39th overall out of Washington, Gordon joins both Stevenson and Blackwell in being acquired during the Ryan Poles regime’s run. A Ryan Pace-era draftee, Johnson is going into a contract year. The Bears are looking to rebound from a last-place defensive showing last season. Their 2023 effort did not start well, with the Packers putting up 38 points in a Week 1 rout.
DB Notes: Baker, Gordon, Lions, Chinn
Budda Baker issued a trade request in February, though it did not become public until mid-April. The Pro Bowl safety remains with the Cardinals and attended the team’s minicamp this week. But the disgruntled defender did not participate in on-field work, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com tweets. This hold-in effort did involve some degree of participation, with Jonathan Gannon indicating Baker has texted with him regarding film and has been in contact with coaches.
“It was good to have him in the building today,” Gannon said (via Weinfuss), calling Baker’s situation “the business side of it.” “Smile on his face. He was asking a bunch of questions. I told the coaches, you better be on your toes cause he’s going to ask good questions. The dialogue has been great, and I’m ready to get [No.] 3 back out there.”
With the Cardinals rebuilding and unlikely to have Kyler Murray available to start the season, it would be interesting to see if they listened to offers for Baker. It also is understandable for Gannon to want the decorated safety back in the mix, given the talent the Cardinals lost on defense this offseason (J.J. Watt, Zach Allen, Byron Murphy, Markus Golden). Two years remain on Baker’s $14.75MM-per-year contract, which has paid out its guarantees.
Here is the latest DB news from around the NFL:
- The Bears now have three second-round cornerbacks on their roster, adding Tyrique Stevenson to a mix that includes Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. A 2022 Round 2 choice, Gordon is now ticketed for a full-time slot role, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Washington product played both inside and outside last season, logging a 97% snap rate in the 14 games he played. Gordon intercepted three passes and forced a fumble as a rookie, though Pro Football Focus did not view his coverage work especially fondly, ranking the 6-foot defender 108th among qualified corners.
- Will Harris moved from safety to slot corner with the Lions last year, but the team’s secondary overhaul included the additions of two hybrid players — C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Brian Branch. Both safeties have extensive slot experience, and Gardner-Johnson — despite leading the NFL with six interceptions last season as an Eagles safety — is expected to play plenty in the slot with the Lions. Harris should be expected to be a backup in 2023, per the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett, who notes the fifth-year defender should work as the top reserve on the outside and in the slot. A former third-round pick who re-signed on a one-year deal this offseason, Harris started 10 games last year.
- Used as a linebacker and a safety over his first three seasons, Jeremy Chinn is set to stay on a versatile track in Carolina. The former Panthers second-rounder has worked as a nickel presence throughout the offseason, David Newton of ESPN.com notes. New Panthers secondary coach Jonathan Cooley said the staff has not fully pinned down Chinn’s role, which will make this run-up to a contract year interesting. The Panthers held off on trading Chinn last year, keeping him as part of a young defensive core.
- Texans cornerback Steven Nelson hired a new agent recently, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who notes David Mulugheta is now representing the ninth-year defender. Nelson signed a two-year, $9MM deal with the Texans in 2022, but started all 15 games he played. Going into his age-30 season, the former Chiefs, Steelers and Eagles corner is running out of time to make another financial splash.
- The Cardinals made tiny splashes in the secondary recently, adding corners Dylan Mabin and Bobby Price. Both will be on league-minimum deals, with GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer tweeting Price will earn $1.01MM (the minimum for a fourth-year player) while Mabin is at $870K (the basement for a player with one year of experience). With neither assured of a roster spot, no money here is guaranteed.
Bears Sign Second-Round CB Kyler Gordon
The Bears have inked their top draft pick to a contract. The team announced that they have signed second-round Kyler Gordon to his four-year rookie contract.
The Bears traded off their 2022 first-round pick in order to acquire QB Justin Fields during the 2021 draft, so they were armed with the No. 39 selection heading into the 2022 selection show. The front office ended up using their top pick on the Washington cornerback, and for good reason.
Gordon was a standout during four seasons with the Huskies. In 33 games, the defensive back collected 98 tackles, three tackles-for-loss, two interceptions, 14 passes deflected, and a pair of forced fumbles. He earned first-team all-Pac 12 honors in 2021 after finishing with 46 tackles.
The rookie cornerback is expected to start opposite Jaylon Johnson at cornerback. If Gordon hits a rookie wall, he could see some competition from the likes of Kindle Vildor or Duke Shelley.
With the signing, the Bears have now signed 11 of their 12 draft picks. Second-round safety Jaquan Brisker is the only rookie to remain unsigned.