Bears Blitz: Bears gear up for Black Friday showdown against the Eagles
Bears Blitz: Bears gear up for Black Friday showdown against the Eagles
Bears are gearing up for their Black Friday matchup against the defending champs. Cassie, Lou and Anthony preview the marquee matchup; how should the Bears attack Vic Fangio's defense, can the Bears limit Philly's star weapons and how winnable is this game for the Bears? The Blitz crew breaks it all down!
The Chicago Bears are in desperate need of some defensive reinforcements.
That might come this week in the form of Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, two players who were expected to be fixtures in the Bears' defense this season but have played in just three games so far.
Both have had their injured reserve 21-day practice windows activated. Both might make their return vs. the Eagles on Friday.
"We've got a plan in place for them, and we're really right on track with what we're hoping to get done with them," Bears head coach Ben Johnson said. "We'll know soon enough."
When Johnson said soon, he probably didn't expect one of his players to spill the beans.
What they're saying:
Bears defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson has filled in at a high level for Gordon in the nickelback position, but he might have let the cat out of the bag.
"He's one of the best corners in the league," Gardner-Johnson told reporters Wednesday about Jaylon Johnson. "I just feel like, now he’ll get a chance to actually show that, with him being active this week against a great receiving corps. I’m excited for him, because everybody asks, ‘what can you do against a great receiving corps?’ and he has a chance to prove it, shut everybody up and get back active."
From the defensive back's mouth, to our ears.
Gardner-Johnson's revelation isn't that surprising, though. The Bears have been open about how they've reopened the practice windows for Johnson and Gordon because they've shown they're ready to return sooner rather than later.
If they weren't ready to return, the staff would have both on injured reserve still.
The coaching staff has been working on gauging how much both defensive backs can handle, and they'll have a set idea of how much they'll play when they do officially return.
"Throughout the course of the weeks of practice, we've been able to slowly increase the rep count there," Ben Johnson said. "Then, we'll be very mindful of that when we do get them up and going in a game. We don't want to throw them into the wolves or put them in a bad spot. So, that's all been talked about and we have a plan for it."
What's next:
Johnson and Gordon's eventual return would mean other players get the bump. They're both at the top of the Bears' depth chart.
However, in their absence, Gardner-Johnson and Nahshon Wright have played high-quality football. Gardner-Johnson contributed to multiple wins with sacks and forced turnovers. Wright is among the NFL leaders in interceptions.
The Bears have been planning for this, too. Getting their two high-profile defensive backs on defense for a playoff run is critical, but joining them with players who have been playing at a high level already is the Bears' point of view on this.
Especially with Wright, who has shined so far in 2025.
"We gotta find a way to get our best 11 guys on the field," Bears defensive backs coach Al Harris said on Tuesday. "He's one of our best 11 guys, so we gotta find a way to get everybody on the field. If you look at it protection wise – I haven't really seen what's going on in the past or whatnot – but I would bet he's probably towards the top in production at that particular position over the years."
If Wright gets to play opposite Jaylon Johnson, it might create more opportunities for the Bears' secondary to create more turnovers.
"Everybody's going to have a role," Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. "What that role is each and every week may change, but we're going to try to find ways that if we have a guy that we think can help us win games or we're going to try to find ways to get them on the field."
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