Chicago Bears second-round pick, Kyler Gordon, is a unique cornerback prospect. He projects as a player who can be as effective on the outside as he can as an inside corner, leaving many to wonder where the Bears planned on playing him in 2022. On Saturday, defensive coordinator Alan Williams answered that question.
‘‘We’re just going to let him do what he does and see how he shapes out, and then we’ll see how much he can do and how much we can push him,’’ Williams said. ‘‘As of right now, he’ll be an outside corner.’’
Keep note of that last part, ‘as of right now.’ Obviously, the Bears’ usage of Gordon is subject to change depending on how he transitions to NFL play. If he’s initially overmatched by bigger-bodied outside receivers? His exceptional athleticism will allow him to shift inside where he could develop into one of the NFL’s top slot corners.
The bigger value, however, is on the outside. The Bears already have one of the NFC’s top young cornerbacks in Jaylon Johnson, and if Gordon emerges as another one, Chicago’s defense will have a lockdown secondary for years.
“I’m ready to put in more work,” Gordon said this week. “There’s more than just athletic ability at this point. I feel like now I’m just going to keep increasing my knowledge of the game in every way I can.”
