Kyler Gordon Becomes More of a Specialist

Most players wouldn't admit it.

Bears slot cornerback Kyler Gordon plays a position where even the best get exposed regularly, so perhaps it's not surprising he willingly admits last year as a rookie was a real mental struggle.

"I wouldn't say overwhelmed, but it definitely was a thing during training camp because I was playing nickel, (and) corner, and I'd be with the ones, twos and threes," Gordon said. "I was feeling it all in my legs. It was a lot."

He wouldn't quite call it a case of his head swimming, but every now and then it seemed like he could use a life preserver. It's not easy learning two positions at once in your first year.

"But I still appreciated it because I needed those reps and experiences. I understand why I was out there a lot and stuff like that," he said. "That year is over and I learned what I needed to learn from it. It's just going to get better and better."

It's only OTAs but Gordon focusing mainly in the slot is slowing down everything.

"I felt like even in the season, even like midway and going to the end, it got just like slower and slower and slower," he said. "Just calmer and calmer. I would just see what I needed to see and not try to make every play and be everywhere and stuff like that. Just control myself."

Gordon made a Bears cornerback high of three interceptions last season, two coming late while he played more outside cornerback instead of the slot because outside cornerbacks Kindle Vildor and Jaylon Johnson suffered injuries.

"It's hard to move inside to outside; It is," secondary coach Jon Hoke said. "There's so much 11-peronnel (three receivers, one back, one tight end) in the league now that you play nickel as your base than anything else. So he's really a starter. He'll play more reps than a guy that doesn't play just nickel. He'll have plenty of reps under his belt. He'll improve as a player. He'll see things faster. Just the reps are a big part of it."

Gordon already says he is seeing things faster as everything has slowed down while he focuses in on his assignments for the slot instead of worrying about the big picture.

"I'm not going to lie, I do miss corner," Gordon said. "I love corner. But yeah, it definitely is nice to focus on nickel and take in as much as I can there and perfect that spot."

The Bears can use a little perfection at the spot. It's been a while. It's been since Bryce Callahan left after the 2018 season that they have had the position manned in a way they'd like. Gordon is getting there and Hoke sees some reasons why he'll fit in at this position.

"He's a good blitzer because he's physical, understands the timing, understands how to beat a block. In zone coverage, he understands how to route-match based on what he's got. He understands the concepts that he's being attacked with. Those things are all pluses with him."

In fact, Gordon has become well enough versed in the cornerback positions that he's trying to help this year's two draft picks at cornerback—Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith—avoid some of the pitfalls he encountered last year.

"I've been talking to them a lot," he said. "They been making a plays already. We talk on the sideline, talk before practice and just giving tips, stuff that I had my first year. Nothing but good things for them and I think they are going to be good."

It could be even better in the secondary when the Bears get back the player who helped Gordon with learning to play the position last year—Jaylon Johnson. For now, Johnson is away from the team during OTAs but they're expecting his return at least during mandatory minicamp if not earlier.

"We talked this offseason just about our plan, like what we are doing to get better and stuff," Gordon said. "What his plans are and stuff.

"As far as him not being here, I don't really worry about it. I know he's a vet and he takes care of things and he’s a professional. I know when he comes back there's not going to be a drop off."

Just as Gordon doesn't expect a drop off from himself even if the Bears defense calls upon him to occasionally move to the boundary at cornerback.

"I do feel like extremely comfortable," Gordon said. "I feel like I know my place, where I’m supposed to be and stuff like that, so definitely coming back this second year, I definitely don't have any of the 'where am I?' like I did the first year.

"I feel like I know where I'm at, what’s going on and where I fit."

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