Kyler Gordon was the 39th overall pick in the 2021 draft and through 11 games, the rookie has had his fair share of struggles. The majority of these struggles came early in the season which has carried the perception of him that Bears fans have developed. But if you look into how he’s been playing since week 5, you’ll quickly discover that he’s been quietly shutting down the opposing passing game.
Gordon has allowed 524 yards and two touchdowns on a 77.4 completion percentage. However, the rookie out of Washington has already shown improvements in his pass coverage. In his first four games of the season, Gordon allowed 370 yards for an average of 92.5 yards per game. Since then, he has allowed 154 yards for an average of 25.7 yards per game. The strides he’s made are a fantastic sign that he can be a reliable corner in the NFL within the next couple of seasons. Gordon went from being the guy that quarterbacks would pick on all game to getting only about four targets per game.
One thing that Gordon has been elite at all season is tackling. Gordon has only missed 3.5% of his tackle attempts. He always seems to be the one making tackles on screens and outside runs which is an extremely valuable asset coming from an outside corner. Having a player who you can rely on to prevent an offense from getting an easy first down is something that every team could use.
Gordon’s athleticism was his biggest selling point coming into the NFL and it’s continuously shined through his rookie season. Gordon’s improvement as the season has gone along is due to how he’s learned to apply his athleticism to the NFL game. And now, he’s been debatably the Bears’ best corner over the last 3-4 weeks. It’s time for Bears fans to stop sleeping on Gordon, he’s been getting the job done and is only getting better on a weekly basis.
