Cornerback Kyler Gordon has been a frequent topic surrounding the Chicago Bears for months. It all started when he failed to report for training camp, citing a then-undisclosed injury. This carried through all of August, including the preseason, and Gordon eventually ended up on the PUP list to start the regular season. He missed the first three games and only now saw his 21-day practice window open. One person who hasn’t enjoyed talking about Gordon throughout the process is Ben Johnson.
While he hasn’t had anything derisive to say about the cornerback, it’s been plain as day that the Bears’ head coach isn’t happy with him. Any time he’s been asked for an update, Johnson has provided one or two-word answers and moved on. Not many people are in his doghouse, but Gordon seems to have set up residence there.
Now? He may no longer be the only one. Johnson was recently asked about what’s going on with wide receiver Rome Odunze to start the season. The coach made his displeasure evident.
Kyler Gordon should be grateful for Odunze.
The young receiver had frequent drop issues last season, catching only 44 of the 90 passes thrown his way. The start to this season hasn’t been much better. He’s caught 8 of the 13 passes thrown at him, but one of the most important to date saw him drop a wide-open touchdown from quarterback Case Keenum on Monday night. There was no cluster of defenders around him. No wind blowing or rain falling. The ball hit Odunze squarely in the hands. He watched it all the way in, yet still bobbled and dropped it.
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Those are the types of plays you have to have. There are no excuses, as Johnson said. NFL wide receivers are expected to make that catch 10 out of 10 times. Odunze continues to make routine plays look like a chore. Meanwhile, Kalif Raymond, a career reserve until this season, has caught 19 of 21 so far. The only explanation for this is on the mental side. Something is going on with Odunze that is messing with his concentration. This was never a problem in college. He made catches in tight coverage look routine.
Both players are under the microscope now.
Kyler Gordon probably won’t play this week despite practicing in full the moment he returned. That means he’ll only have 13 games left in the season to show Johnson that he still deserves a spot on this roster. While he has been gone, rookie Malik Muhammad has settled into the nickel spot quite nicely. The Bears no longer feel Gordon’s absence as much as they did last season. That alone should make him nervous. His contract won’t protect him starting next offseason. If he can’t produce, he’ll be cut.
Odunze should start worrying about his future, too. The last thing he wants is for Johnson to lose trust in him. The Bears won’t keep a player around that the head coach feels can’t deliver consistently. Contract considerations are about to come up for Odunze, too. This is when teams start talking about a possible extension. Right now, he hasn’t done nearly enough to justify any such deal. Time is running out to change that.
