The hopes and dreams of the Chicago Bears having their top two cornerbacks, Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, just died thanks to ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler.
Just one day before the Bears face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12 action, sources tell Fowler that Chicago will not be activating Johnson or Gordon for the game. Both were listed as questionable for the game after a whole week of practicing.
Fowler added that the Bears are hopeful of removing Johnson and Gordon from the IR and having them ready to go for the Black Friday showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles. Johnson has only played one game this season with his groin injury, while Gordon has played just two games with his calf injury.
No Johnson or Gordon for Week 12 against the Steelers is not ideal, but not surprising
Bears head coach Ben Johnson had mentioned when giving an update on Jaylon Johnson that the team was going to be cautious with not rushing either guy back. Jaylon Johnson and Gordon came back after training camp injuries that ended up being bad for the Bears, as they returned too soon.
While every Bears fan wanted them back, this is the smart move for the team. The pass defense has been far from perfect in Chicago, but they have managed to win games still and go 7-3 this season without Johnson and Gordon on the field at the same time.
Tyrique Stevenson has been inconsistent as CB1, but has done a good job holding his own for the most part. Nahshon Wright is currently second in the NFL in interceptions with four on the year, so he's been a solid CB2. C.J. Gardner-Johnson has filled in as the nickel corner for the last month, and he has adjusted well to it after being a career safety.
Read more: Bears' $1 million backup finally earns perfect opportunity 3 years in the making
Chicago should be able to hold its own for one more week, but with Eagles wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith coming up, Gordon and Johnson's returns would be nice to have in Week 13.