Gordon to keep same resposnibilities this year

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Arkansasbear
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So Williams said that Gordon would stay the nickle but move to the outside when they went to 2 CBs.

Wasn't a big fan of it last year and not sure I like it now. I'm hoping one of the CBs we drafted can be the second CB and let him focus solely on being the nickle. I guess things could change in training camp, but as of now they appear to want him to man both positions.

https://bearswire.usatoday.com/2023/05/ ... -williams/
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Yeah, that will change eventually, if Stevenson is what they think he is. I'm not convinced.
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Kyler Gordon ready to take giant leap in 2023
...

“I feel extremely comfortable,” Gordon said after Wednesday’s OTA at Halas Hall. “I feel like I know my place, where I’m supposed to be and stuff like that. So coming into this second year, I definitely don’t have any of the ‘Where am I?’ like I did the first year. I feel like I know where I’m at, what’s going on and where I fit.”
...

Even defensive coordinator Alan Williams said Gordon just not being a rookie already is a bonus.

“It’s just relaxing,” Williams said. “Last year, everything was in a frenzy because he wants to please; he wants to be so good. Now he’s playing within himself. He’s got his feet underneath him. He’s communicating more than he did. He communicated before, but now it’s more.”
...

Gordon also had to slow himself down and just relax.

It’s only OTAs, but so far, so good.

“We call it the RPMs,” Williams said. “His RPMs are not always in the red all the time. So he is mentally alert but is physically relaxed in how he’s playing now. That doesn’t mean he’s not going fast and he’s not hustling and running to the ball. It just means his RPMs aren’t super high.”

The Bears are using Gordon as a nickel back but still plan to give him work on the outside “to keep his feet wet there,” Williams said. Clearly, his best value to the Bears is at nickel. And if second-round draft pick Tyrique Stevenson becomes a productive option at outside corner, Gordon figures to stay at nickel.

“You can certainly see his confidence growing in that position,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “The nickel position is a hard position. Things happen fast in there. You have to fit the run, so there’s a lot of things you have to do there, and we’re fortunate to have him in there.”

The nickel position is more prominent than ever, and Gordon fits the role.

“He’s a good blitzer because he’s physical,” Bears cornerbacks coach Jon Hoke said. “He understands the timing, understands how to beat a block. In zone coverage, he understands how to route-match based on what he’s got. He understands the concepts that he’s being attacked with.”

Versatility is a nice asset, but the more Gordon plays nickel, it’s probably the better.

“I’m not going to lie — I do miss [outside] corner. I love corner,” Gordon said. “But it definitely is nice to focus on nickel and take in as much as I can there and perfect that spot.”
...

“In this defense, it’s really about being in the run,” Gordon said. “I like to blitz. Them giving me the ability to do that, that’s what I love about being in the nickel and being in the run fit.

“Hopefully I go back to corner and go back and forth like I did. I just get to be closer [to the line of scrimmage], which is more opportunities for me to make plays. I love being there.”

Full article: https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2023 ... ap-in-2023
From that article it sounds very much like Gordon will be focusing much more on playing nickel, but they'll still get him some reps outside to keep his hand in. That makes sense because you never know what injuries may occur (or whether Johnson might hold out). A situation may arise where they need him to be able to switch between positions. With the addition of Stevenson and Smith to go with the other young CBs from last season they potentially have more options this year, so hopefully he'll get to play just the one position.
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HisRoyalSweetness wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 9:04 pm
Kyler Gordon ready to take giant leap in 2023
...

“I feel extremely comfortable,” Gordon said after Wednesday’s OTA at Halas Hall. “I feel like I know my place, where I’m supposed to be and stuff like that. So coming into this second year, I definitely don’t have any of the ‘Where am I?’ like I did the first year. I feel like I know where I’m at, what’s going on and where I fit.”
...

Even defensive coordinator Alan Williams said Gordon just not being a rookie already is a bonus.

“It’s just relaxing,” Williams said. “Last year, everything was in a frenzy because he wants to please; he wants to be so good. Now he’s playing within himself. He’s got his feet underneath him. He’s communicating more than he did. He communicated before, but now it’s more.”
...

Gordon also had to slow himself down and just relax.

It’s only OTAs, but so far, so good.

“We call it the RPMs,” Williams said. “His RPMs are not always in the red all the time. So he is mentally alert but is physically relaxed in how he’s playing now. That doesn’t mean he’s not going fast and he’s not hustling and running to the ball. It just means his RPMs aren’t super high.”

The Bears are using Gordon as a nickel back but still plan to give him work on the outside “to keep his feet wet there,” Williams said. Clearly, his best value to the Bears is at nickel. And if second-round draft pick Tyrique Stevenson becomes a productive option at outside corner, Gordon figures to stay at nickel.

“You can certainly see his confidence growing in that position,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “The nickel position is a hard position. Things happen fast in there. You have to fit the run, so there’s a lot of things you have to do there, and we’re fortunate to have him in there.”

The nickel position is more prominent than ever, and Gordon fits the role.

“He’s a good blitzer because he’s physical,” Bears cornerbacks coach Jon Hoke said. “He understands the timing, understands how to beat a block. In zone coverage, he understands how to route-match based on what he’s got. He understands the concepts that he’s being attacked with.”

Versatility is a nice asset, but the more Gordon plays nickel, it’s probably the better.

“I’m not going to lie — I do miss [outside] corner. I love corner,” Gordon said. “But it definitely is nice to focus on nickel and take in as much as I can there and perfect that spot.”
...

“In this defense, it’s really about being in the run,” Gordon said. “I like to blitz. Them giving me the ability to do that, that’s what I love about being in the nickel and being in the run fit.

“Hopefully I go back to corner and go back and forth like I did. I just get to be closer [to the line of scrimmage], which is more opportunities for me to make plays. I love being there.”

Full article: https://chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2023 ... ap-in-2023
From that article it sounds very much like Gordon will be focusing much more on playing nickel, but they'll still get him some reps outside to keep his hand in. That makes sense because you never know what injuries may occur (or whether Johnson might hold out). A situation may arise where they need him to be able to switch between positions. With the addition of Stevenson and Smith to go with the other young CBs from last season they potentially have more options this year, so hopefully he'll get to play just the one position.
That may be a better written piece. The "keeping his feet wet there" comment is a pretty big deal IMO. That lines up more with what I was thinking would happen. Gordon gets the nickle and Stevenson gets the outside spot. But sure keep Gordon ready in case. Although I hope Smith shows enough he can be the first choice to fill in on the outside.
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I thought Gordon was much more effective on the outside than inside, especially in zone coverage. Hope he proves me wrong but I don't like that he's being asked to focus on nickel at the moment - I'd rather have him focus on being an outside corner instead.
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DaSuperfan wrote: Thu Jun 01, 2023 11:36 am I thought Gordon was much more effective on the outside than inside, especially in zone coverage. Hope he proves me wrong but I don't like that he's being asked to focus on nickel at the moment - I'd rather have him focus on being an outside corner instead.
They drafted their outside guy, though. They drafted Gordon for NB, I think is clear.
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It feels like the Bears have created some challenges for themselves in placing players in positions they might not prefer. Whitehair and Jenkins on the oline... Gordon stuck at nickel... TJ Edwards prob wants to be Mike... who knows what the various WRs want to be doing... it's alot to sort out and build buy-in in training camp.
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I don't see any indication that Gordon wasn't drafted with nickel in mind for him. As has been previously stated, it's an important role in Eberflus' defense, and important roles should require substantial investment.

It's certainly worth debating whether Gordon was the right pick for the job, but I don't see a reason to decry an investment in what's been deemed an important role.
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dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
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