Head coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles weren’t exactly generous with their words when asked about Kyler Gordon. It was clear that both men expected the nickel cornerback to be ready for training camp after missing both OTAs and minicamps in the spring. Instead, the fifth-year player landed on the PUP list with a calf problem, continuing his streak of recurring soft tissue injuries. If you weren’t sure if patience was wearing thin, both men indicated that Gordon’s job is by no means secure anymore.
That is the price you pay for missing 14 games last season.
It sounds like the team is leaving that nickel spot wide open for anybody to grab it as camp unfolds. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, two names have quickly emerged as contenders.
“Cam Lewis and Jaylon Jones both got some time with the first team at the nickel cornerback position, but there could be plenty of others who rotate through at some point, especially if Kyler Gordon is absent for a while. Lewis, signed to a two-year contract after spending the last six seasons with the Buffalo Bills, also lined up at safety with the second team.”
Lewis is the more experienced of the two options. He logged 96 snaps in the slot last season for the Buffalo Bills, posting a respectable 83.9 passer rating against. For his career, he’s played 545 snaps in the slot. Jones is the younger of the two, having established himself on special teams but getting occasional work on defense. He has the athleticism and tenacity you look for, playing 83 career snaps in the slot.
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Kyler Gordon better get back quickly.
The longer he’s out, the more hardened the Chicago Bears will become about a replacement. Lewis has more experience. It is probably why the team signed him. They must’ve had a sneaking suspicion that Gordon’s health problems would persist. The veteran provided them with much-needed insurance that is already paying off. The primary concern with him is that he’s more of a safety. Jones is the more natural cornerback. Can the team live with that trade-off? They seemed to last season with C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
That brings up probably the most pressing question from fans. What about Malik Muhammad? There was plenty of buzz around the Bears’ 4th round pick out of Texas. He got some early looks at nickel in the spring. Isn’t he in the mix? Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen made it sound like that option is off the table, at least for now.
“Look, the kid is smart. We’ll give him a look at it and see where he’s at and let the competition throughout the course of training camp play out. And I think, you know, evaluation is something that takes time. It doesn’t happen in a day or two.”
The problem with nickel is it’s the most demanding position for a cornerback because it has more responsibilities and requires faster thinking. Asking a rookie to handle that usually doesn’t go well.
Gordon’s leash is almost gone.
The Bears have kept his job safe because they felt he was a lynch pin to their defensive success. That mentality has eroded to almost nothing in the past year. Remember, this coaching staff didn’t draft him and had little say in whether he was extended. All they’ve seen since arriving is a player who can’t stay on the field. Such players are useless to them. How hard he works and what he accomplished in previous seasons are irrelevant to them. This team is trying to win a championship. That can’t be done with guys who can’t keep their bodies right.
Kyler Gordon is facing his last stand this year. Right now, his contract is the only thing keeping him on the roster. If not for that extension he signed and the cap penalties it would incur, he might’ve been cut already. The Bears will give him one more season to figure it out. If he can’t, they will likely eat the dead money next offseason and send him packing. There is zero room for error, which is why each missed practice hurts even more than usual.
