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Bears CB Kyler Gordon dubbed breakout candidate in 2024

alyssa barbieri, bears wire
·2 min read

The Chicago Bears defense is looking to prove they're a top-five unit in the league, and their secondary will play a key role in their success in 2024.

The Bears re-signed All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson to a four-year extension to keep him in Chicago for the foreseeable future, and there's plenty of young talent in the room with him at arguably the team's deepest position group. That includes third-year pro Kyler Gordon, who is poised for a breakout season, according to Yahoo! Sports' Nate Tice.

Gordon was key for a Bears defense that played like a top-10 unit in the back half of the season. You can actually track the Bears' statistical improvement to when Gordon was reinserted into the Bears' lineup in Week 6 after an injury. Gordon is another terror in the slot who can impact the game in multiple ways and is a key cog in the Bears' zone-heavy scheme that requires smarts and feel for space. Gordon helps round out what I think is the best cornerback trio in the NFL right now alongside Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson.

Gordon, a former second-round pick in 2022, looked ready to breakout last year before a broken hand derailed the start of his 2023 season. Still, he showed solid improvement from his rookie season. Now, with the addition of Pro Bowl edge rusher Montez Sweat, Gordon should be a beneficiary in Year 3.

Gordon only played in one preseason game this summer, but he showed how he can be an impactful contributor with one sack, four stops and allowing two catches for two yards in 21 snaps against the Cincinnati Bengals.

But his biggest contribution should come bringing pressure on corner blitzes, which was on display in that game and even last season. In 2023, Gordon rushed the passer 40 times, which was the fourth-most among cornerbacks, totaling six pressures and one sack. It's something we should expect to see plenty of during the 2024 season.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears CB Kyler Gordon dubbed breakout candidate in 2024