CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears appear to have locked up one of their defensive centerpieces.
The Bears have reportedly signed cornerback Kyler Gordon to a three-year, $40 million contract extension, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal is said to include $31.25 million in guaranteed money.
Gordon, 25, was entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2025. With the new deal, he will remain under team control through the 2028 season. The new contract will make him the NFL’s highest-paid nickel cornerback.
Gordon was the first draft selection that Bears general manager Ryan Poles made after taking over as GM in 2022. In the three seasons since, Gordon has found a home as the nickel corner for the Bears defense, typically lining up across from the slot receiver.
Locking up Gordon to a long-term deal was one of the priorities on Poles’ to-do list this offseason.
“For me, in our exit meetings at the end of last season, I told all the guys in terms of future, if it was contracts, coming back, anything like that, the important thing is I’ve got to get with our new coaching staff and kind of see how the different players fit based on the scheme,” Poles said last month at the NFL owners meetings in Florida. “We’ve been able to have those conversations and I know Kyler is a guy that we want to be a part of this moving forward.”
Gordon made an impression on his new coaches before he ever set foot on the field to play under them. New head coach Ben Johnson and new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen mentioned Gordon as a key piece for the defense during their introductory news conferences.
“Kyler Gordon, I think, is an outstanding nickel player,” Allen said on Jan. 30. “I have a vision for how we can utilize him. I think the foundation for what we want to do (defensively) is there, and then I’m just excited about finally getting these guys in here and us having the opportunity to work with him and see exactly what we have.”
The nickel corner is an increasingly important position in the NFL, where defenses now typically use five defensive backs the majority of the time. The nickel corner is in a unique spot because he often has to guard larger receivers or tight ends and he has to be capable of providing support in the run game.
Just a month ago, the Jaguars made nickel corner Jourdan Lewis the highest-paid corner with a three-year, $30 million contract, which Gordon’s reported new deal surpasses.
The Bears drafted Gordon out of Washington with the No. 39 pick in the 2022 draft. He has appeared in 42 games with 34 career starts. He has five career interceptions, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, 1 1/2 sacks and 207 combined tackles over his three seasons.
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