Overview
- NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport says Gordon is working away from the team with his own trainer to accelerate recovery from a calf injury and is expected to rejoin the Bears a few weeks into the season and begin practicing shortly after.
- Gordon remains unavailable to play and his official roster designation has not been finalized, which leaves short-term roster moves and cap planning unresolved for the organization.
- Chicago has already prepared for his absence by adding cornerback depth and shifting reps to veterans and rookies, including the trade for Clark Phillips and increased roles for Josh Blackwell, Cam Lewis, and Malik Muhammad.
- Gordon signed a three-year extension worth about $40 million last offseason, so any decision to release or move him would carry meaningful salary-cap consequences and affect roster construction.
- The team’s cautious approach reflects Gordon’s history of soft-tissue injuries and recent missed practices and preseason time, so the key near-term markers to watch are when he rejoins the team, when he begins practicing, and when he is cleared to play.