LAKE FOREST, Ill. (104.3 The Score) — Bears nickelback Kyler Gordon (calf) will miss at least the first four games of the 2026 regular season after being placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list Sunday. It remains to be seen whether his absence will linger beyond that.
Speaking Tuesday morning, Bears general manager Ryan Poles was noncommittal about Gordon’s health and future with the team. He was also uncertain of where Gordon's injury-plagued career will go next.
"I don't know,” Poles said when asked if Gordon will play again for the Bears. “I would hope so. I still have hope there. He's going to have to continue to work hard and get back to playing football again.”
Gordon, 26, was the first draft selection made by Poles when the Bears selected him at No. 39 overall in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He has played 45 games for the Bears over four NFL seasons amid a career marred by injury.
Gordon played just three games in 2025 while dealing with several different leg injuries. That included a groin injury that he suffered during pregame warmups before a contest against the Packers last December at Lambeau Field.
The Bears’ frustration with Gordon has been clear throughout training camp as he hasn't taken the field. Coach Ben Johnson has been visibly dismayed by questions about Gordon’s status throughout the course of the preseason.
Poles shared insight about how Gordon's rehabilitation process hasn't accelerated as hoped.
“Any time you have an injury and you're coming back from something, there's discomfort that you have to push through,” Poles said. “And that's what it comes down to. We haven't been able to get over that hump, and we're not progressing as fast as we'd like. That's really all I have to say about it."
The Bears signed Gordon to a three-year, $40-million contract extension in early 2025, a deal that keeps him under contract in Chicago through the 2028 season. He's still owed $20 million guaranteed on that deal — $10 million in each of the next two years.
The Bears have pressed forward without Gordon heading into the season. Rookie Malik Muhammad, a fourth-round pick in April, is positioned as the likely starter at the nickelback position with Gordon sidelined.
Gordon hasn't been made available to speak with reporters this season as part of the Bears’ team policy for injured players.
Roster moves
The Bears will sign linebacker Jack Sanborn and defensive lineman James Lynch back to their 53-man roster after they were released Sunday in procedural maneuvers, Poles said. The team will place safety Coby Bryant (knee) and tight end Hayden Large (undisclosed) on injured reserve with the intent for their activations later in the season.
By placing Bryant and Large on injured reserve Tuesday rather than this past Sunday, they'll be eligible for activations later this season. The Bears still have five spots on their practice squad to fill. They signed 11 players to their practice squad Monday.
Chris Emma covers the Bears and the Chicago sports scene for 104.3 The Score.
