Shaw Local is counting down the top-five Chicago Bears players who will have something to prove in 2026. These could include veterans who took a step back last year, someone facing a major financial incentive or younger players fighting for a starting spot.

Players in the NFL always feel like they have something to prove each season. But some years are more important than others for some players, whether it’s because of a contract or playing time.

Here’s a look at No. 5 on the list of top Bears players with something to prove. Check back throughout the week to see the next edition of the countdown.

No. 5 Kyler Gordon

Position: Slot cornerback

Experience: Fifth season

Looking back: Gordon and the Bears expected him to have a big 2025. Bears general manager Ryan Poles rewarded Gordon with a three-year contract extension during the previous offseason, and the Bears expected Gordon to be a focal point of Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense.

None of that came to fruition after Gordon went through an injury-plagued season.

Gordon suffered a hamstring injury in training camp that forced him to miss the first four games. After appearing in two games, groin and calf injuries sent him to his first stint on the injured list. Gordon returned for one game at the end of November before he returned to the IR with a groin injury. He came back and played in both of the Bears’ playoff games.

Despite the injuries, Gordon flashed what could’ve been in the games he did play. He had two sacks, two tackles for loss and two passes defended in the five games he appeared in last year.

Looking ahead: After a missed year, Gordon will have plenty to prove both on and off the field. He didn’t get off to a good start this spring, though.

Gordon missed some time this spring because of an apparent injury. He was limited during the first Organized Team Activities (OTA) practice that was open to reporters and then didn’t appear in the second OTA or minicamp practices.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson has voiced concerns about Gordon’s inability to stay on the field. Johnson previously said he didn’t know Gordon that well despite spending a season in Chicago since Gordon hadn’t been playing. He had hoped the spring would be a good chance for that bond to grow, and now Gordon will have to work from behind once again.

“We’re still trying to get that availability piece going,” Johnson said this spring. “We know he’s a good player when he’s out there, but trust level is a huge thing for this team, for this coaching staff, for the locker room, and you can only develop that trust by being available.”

If Gordon can be healthy at the start of training camp at the end of July, he should be part of a speedy, versatile secondary. Poles reworked the Bears safety room when he signed Super Bowl champion Coby Bryant and drafted Dillon Thieneman in the first round this year.

Those new pieces could create different opportunities for Gordon to succeed. Allen will likely mix and match who he sends on blitzes from the secondary, which should confuse opposing quarterbacks. Allen also showed that he’s willing to play dime packages at times last season.

It will be an important year for Gordon. If he can get back on the field and perform at the same level as he had earlier in his career, Gordon can prove he was worth the extension and the coaching staff’s trust.