The Bears have faith in Josh Blackwell's ability to fill in for the injured Kyler Gordon.
The Chicago Bears endured an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers in Week 1. To compound their woes, it appears that Chicago will be without a crucial defensive starter for an extended period.
Cornerback Kyler Gordon sustained a hand injury during the fourth quarter of Sunday's game and was promptly ruled out.
Although head coach Matt Eberflus did not provide an update on Gordon's condition on Monday, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune has reported that Gordon is likely dealing with a broken hand that could sideline him for 6-8 weeks.
If this prognosis holds true, it represents a significant setback for the Bears' secondary. However, they are adopting a "next-man-up" mentality, which means increased playing time for Josh Blackwell, who stepped in for Gordon as the nickel cornerback.
Cornerback Jaylon Johnson expressed confidence in Blackwell's ability to fill the void left by Gordon's absence, saying, "What gives me confidence is I've seen him do it... He played against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers last year and did a really good job. He's been out there in the fire, experiencing real game situations against tough competition. I look forward to him building chemistry with the starting lineup and performing well."
In the previous season, Blackwell featured in 15 games, including one start, as an undrafted rookie, registering 12 tackles on defense. He also made significant contributions on special teams, recording 11 tackles and forcing/recovering a fumble in Week 4 against the New York Giants.
Gordon's injury adds to the challenges facing Chicago's roster, as starting left guard Teven Jenkins is currently on injured reserve with an undisclosed leg injury.
| POLL | ||
13 SEPTEMBRE | 24 ANSWERS The Bears have faith in Josh Blackwell's ability to fill in for the injured Kyler Gordon. Are the Bears too "thin" in the secondary? | ||
| yes | 13 | 54.2 % |
| No | 11 | 45.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
