When discussing the Chicago Bears cornerback position, two names dominate the headlines. Jaylon Johnson is their #1 guy and continues to prove it with every practice and game rep. Then there is rookie Kyler Gordon, the team’s top draft choice. Despite some early health setbacks, he delivered his best all-around performance in Cleveland on Saturday night. After that, guys like Tavon Young and Thomas Graham Jr. get the buzz, even as both remain out with injuries.
Bears coaches, meanwhile, have talked up one name no fan wants to hear. Kindle Vildor was terrible in 2021. That isn’t up for debate. Opposing quarterbacks targeted him 59 times, completing 41 passes for 598 yards and six touchdowns. That works out to a 136.1 passer rating. Very bad. People were ready to see him gone. The new coaching staff wasn’t ready to do that yet. They wanted to see how he looked in their defense. Word began to spread that the former 5th round pick looked solid in practice. That seems to have carried over into the preseason.
Through the first two games, Vildor gave up just 13 yards on four targets, nine of those yards coming on one of those three completions. He also forced an incompletion and had a pass breakup. Then came the Cleveland game.
Chicago Bears watched Vildor save his best for last.
Two plays stood out. The first came in the 2nd quarter. Cleveland ran a fake end-around with the intent of setting up a screen. Vildor didn’t let himself get carried deep, passing the receiver off to the safety. When Jacoby Brissett threw the screen, he fired downhill to blow the play up for a four-yard loss.
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He wasn’t done, though. Late in the quarter, a Bears fumble led to a short field for Cleveland. They had enough time left for a shot at the end zone on 3rd and short. Quarterback Josh Dobbs went right at Vildor. The cornerback didn’t flinch, getting great position on the Browns receiver and almost picking it off.
It was the perfect cap to a strong preseason for him. The Chicago Bears can’t be sure how he’ll respond when the real bullets start flying next month. Still, it looks like he responded to their challenge this summer and has rediscovered some of what made him an intriguing prospect in the first place two years ago.
