Bears Get More Bad News on Kyler Gordon Before Ravens Game
The situation with cornerback Kyler Gordon has gone from bad to worse for the Chicago Bears ahead of Week 8’s road matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
Gordon popped up on the injury report Thursday after injuring both his groin and calf in practice and spending the day’s session as a limited participant. The Bears then held him out entirely from Friday’s walkthrough before ruling him out for Week 8’s game.
Things grew worse Saturday when the Bears officially placed Gordon on the injured reserve list, meaning he will miss at least the next four games for Chicago’s defense.
The Bears will now play at least their next four games — including Sunday’s road game against the Ravens — without two of their top cornerbacks. Pro Bowl starter Jaylon Johnson underwent core-muscle surgery in September and is out indefinitely on IR.
The Bears also won’t have their other perimeter starter, Tyrique Stevenson, available against the Ravens. Stevenson injured his shoulder early in Week 7’s win over the New Orleans Saints and sat out every practice this week before the team ruled him out.
The Bears (4-2) will kick off against the Ravens (1-5) at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Losing Kyler Gordon Could Cripple Bears’ CB Room
With Gordon now out for a minimum of four games, the Bears are severely depleted at the cornerback position because of injuries and could remain that way for some time, depending on how much time Stevenson winds up missing with his shoulder injury.
The Bears will count Nahshon Wright, Nick McCloud and Josh Blackwell as their top three cornerbacks when they face the Ravens on Sunday. They will also have Jaylon Jones and practice-squad elevation Dallis Flowers available as backups, though the lack of high-level playing experience across the board raises some alarm bells for them.
On the plus side, the Bears won’t have to deal with two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson after the Ravens announced Saturday that he will miss his third straight game with his hamstring injury. The Ravens will start backup Tyler Huntley (11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 26 career games) in his place — a better matchup for Chicago.
Even still, the sudden depletion of depth could force the Bears to consider their options for improving their cornerback room — such as signing a vet — in the coming weeks.
Bears Also Shut Down Braxton Jones With Knee Injury
Gordon is not the only Bear who landed on injured reserve before Week 8’s game.
The Bears also placed offensive tackle Braxton Jones on injured reserve Saturday with a knee injury. He was a limited participant in Wednesday’s first practice before the team downgraded him to a non-participant for the final two sessions to close out the week.
Jones lost his job as the Bears’ starting left tackle when the team benched him for Theo Benedet midway through Week 4’s win over the Dallas Cowboys, but he still provided the Bears with valuable depth and experience at the position before his new injury.
The injury is also likely to diminish — if not completely wipe out — any trade interest Jones may have garnered before the NFL trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET on November 4.
In a corresponding roster move, the Bears signed defensive tackle Jonathan Ford from the practice squad to the 53-man roster after elevating him in each of their past three games. Ford has played 36 defensive snaps this season, but he is less likely to see any playing time now that veteran Grady Jarrett (knee) has been cleared to play again.
Steelers Sign Aaron Rodgers’ Former WR
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers made sure they helped out quarterback Aaron Rodgers, giving him a wide reicever he has great rapport with.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that the wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling plans to sign with the Steelers and reunite with Rodgers.
Steelers Host Marquez Valdes-Scantling for Workout
Valdes-Scantling worked out for the Steelers on Oct. 27, just a day after they lost 35-25 to the Packers at Acrisure Stadium in Week 8.
The workout went well, which allows Valdes-Scantling to join the Steelers and have a chance for more great moments with Rodgers.
Fowler reported that Valdes-Scantling will likely start on the practice squad and that it's not known when he'll join the Steelers, due to travel logistics.
Rodgers and Valdes-Scantling Share Great Connection
The Packers took Valdes-Scantling in the fifth round in the 2018 NFL Draft out of USF and he spent his first four seasons in the NFL catching passes from Rodgers.
Valdes-Scantling caught 123 passes for 2,153 yards, 17.5 average yards per reception, and 13 touchdowns during his time in Green Bay.
His best season with Rodgers came in 2020, starting 12 of 16 games and making 33 catches for 690 yards and six touchdowns, both career-highs. His 20.9 yards per reception led the NFL that season
Valdes-Scantling Moves around the NFL
Valdes-Scantling signed a three-year, $40 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs on March 24, 2022.
He spent two seasons with the Chiefs, making 63 catches for 1,002 yards, 15.9 yards per reception, and three touchdowns in 33 games.
Valdes-Scantling won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs, including catching a touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII, a 25-22 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
His best season with the Chiefs and MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes came in 2022, where he made a career-high 42 catches for 687 yards, 16.4 yards per reception, and two touchdowns.
The Chiefs released him after the 2023 season and he spent 2024 with both the Buffalo Bills and the New Orleans Saints, playing in 14 games combined. He had 17 catches for 385 yards and four touchdowns with the Saints in eight starts.
He signed with the 49ers practice squad on Aug. 27, but a calf injury landed him on injured reserve on Oct. 17 and the 49ers released him the day after.
How the Steelers Wide Receiver Corps Looks Now
The Steelers currently have six wide receivers on the 53-man active roster, which includes DK Metcalf, Scotty Miller, Ben Skowronek, Ke'Shawn Williams and Roman Wilson.
Adding Valdes-Scantling gives them a veteran presence on a roster with either younger wide outs or older, but less productive ones.
It also allows Rodgers a wide receiver that he has worked with before, which should make for a more effective offense overall.
