Ryan Poles has been busy this offseason. After hiring Ben Johnson to be the Chicago Bears head coach, Poles has spent the offseason dramatically revamping the team's offensive and defensive lines.
By the time the Bears were done with the first week of free agency, they had added three new starters to their offensive line: Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson. In addition, the Bears addressed the defensive line with the signings of Dayo Odeyinbo and Grady Jarrett.
Given the work that Poles has accomplished, it would seem that outside of the 2025 NFL Draft, the remainder of the season will be spent determining the players that Ben Johnson wants to keep beyond next season. Three key players who are entering the final year of their rookie contracts with the Bears are Braxton Jones, Jaquan Brisker, and Kyler Gordon.
While the Bears will likely wait until Jones and Brisker are healthy and available before engaging in contract discussions, Gordon seems like a prime candidate to receive a new contract before the start of the season.
While speaking at the NFL Owners Meetings this week, Poles did confirm that a contract extension for Gordon was a priority for the team this offseason.
Ryan Poles on an incoming Kyler Gordon extension:
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) April 1, 2025
"The timing of that, I'm not sure how that's all going to work out, but that is a priority."
It should be no surprise that the Bears are working toward signing Gordon to a new deal. Gordon was among the players that new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen praised during his introductory press conference with the team. As for Gordon, when he accepted the Ed Block Courage Award in March, he expressed a desire to remain with the Bears.
Kyler Gordon has become a focal point of the Bears' defense
Beyond excelling as the Bears' nickel cornerback last season, Gordon was also the Bears' best blitzer last season. With an improved defensive line, that may not be the case in 2025 but speaks to Gordon's versatility.
Extending Gordon would also give the Bears some added security at the cornerback position. Jaylon Johnson inked an extension with the team last offseason but the 2024 season saw regression in Tyrique Stevenson's development. The Bears would be wise to lock Gordon up for the long term as they look to stabilize the position group.