Bears' Kyler Gordon taking the ball and running with it

After missing three weeks and 14 practices with an unspecified injury, Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon said he’s ready for Week 1, even if the 21 snaps he played in Saturday’s preseason game against the Bengals are all he gets.

“Most definitely,” Gordon said.

Gordon has given no reason to doubt him in the six days since he returned. The 2022 third-round draft pick had a sack and two tackles for loss against the Bengals, then added two interceptions of Caleb Williams in practice Monday.
In a red-zone drill, Gordon picked off a pass meant for wide receiver DJ Moore with room for a big return. The other pick came off a pass that was deflected, apparently by defensive tackle Gervon Dexter, and hung in the air for an easy catch.

Gordon, a starter at nickel back since his rookie season, said “preparation” is the biggest reason for feeling he’s good to go. He made the most of his time away from practice — watching film, working on technique and consulting with his coaches — and it’s paying off.

Like safety Jaquan Brisker, a fellow 2022 pick, Gordon has established himself in two NFL seasons but has another level he’d like to reach this year. He’s in a comfort zone where the game has slowed down for him, allowing him to think and react more quickly.

“It’s like, ‘I’m going to make this next play,’ ” Gordon said. “Really, that’s how I would . . . elevate, try to make turnovers, more big plays, more exciting plays. The slower it gets, the more opportunities I see.”

A first time for everything

Safety Kevin Byard’s iron-man streak of never having missed a practice or a game for injury appears to have ended when he didn’t participate Monday, instead joining other injured players on conditioning bikes.

Byard, who signed with the Bears in March, played in all 138 games of his eight-year NFL career with the Titans and Eagles and only has missed practices for the births of his children.

In his absence Monday, Jonathan Owens and Tarvarius Moore rotated opposite Elijah Hicks in 11-on-11 drills.

Brisker return imminent?

Although he didn’t participate for a ninth consecutive practice, Brisker was in attendance Monday and appears close to returning.

Center/guard Ryan Bates missed his fourth consecutive practice. Coleman Shelton played center and Nate Davis played right guard.

Also missing practice were wide receiver Collin Johnson, long snapper Patrick Scales, defensive end Jacob Martin, cornerback Leon Jones and offensive lineman Theo Benedet.

Welcome, rookie

After spending the first four weeks of camp on the non-football injury list, rookie offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie, the Bears’ third-round draft pick from Yale and Hinsdale Central, returned to practice. He was active in individual drills but didn’t participate in team drills.

Amegadjie, who had quadriceps surgery last year at Yale, still is likely a long-term project. But offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was upbeat about his preparedness to take the first step.

“He does a great job of taking a mental rep every time he hears the play,” Waldron said. “Looking forward to him. Smart guy — smart, tough and reliable, that can start off with a good base already. But there’s no substitute for getting out there and doing it. That’s the biggest thing.”

It remains to be seen if Amegadjie can compete for a backup spot this season.

“You don’t know until [he] does it,” Waldron said. “But he’s put himself in the best position possible, knowing he’s done a great job with the training staff and strength-and-conditioning staff to put himself in position to get out on the field.”

Pace moving back up in the world

Former Bears general manager Ryan Pace has been promoted to vice president of football operations/player personnel with the Falcons. They hired him as a senior personnel executive in 2021 and promoted him to director of player personnel in 2023.