KYLER GORDON ADDED TO INJURY REPORT AHEAD OF WEEK 1 AGAINST VIKINGS!
The Chicago Bears enter the 2025 season with huge expectations. Chicago was hailed the offseason's most improved team after hiring Ben Johnson and overhauling the roster. Unfortunately, the Bears just got some bad injury news ahead of their season opener.
Bears CB Kyler Gordon was added to the injury report on Sunday with a hamstring injury, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Gordon is questionable to play in Chicago's season opener against Minnesota on Monday Night Football.
Gordon enters the 2025 season as the Bears' starting nickel cornerback, an incredibly important position in the modern NFL.
He has been a mainstay for the Bears ever since joining the team in 2022.
This is just another blow to a Bears secondary that is already banged up.
Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson has been battling a groin all the way through training camp. Johnson is questionable on the injury report, but his status is still a mystery headed into Week 1.
Not to mention that Terell Smith is already on IR and Zah Frazier has already been ruled out.
The Bears could also be without star linebacker T.J. Edwards, who is doubtful with a hamstring injury. Chicago's defense looks like a unit that is already in midseason form because of their injuries.
All of these injuries should put more pressure on Tyrique Stevenson, Kevin Byard III, and Jaquan Brisker. They will have the tough task of covering up superstar Justin Jefferson and the rest of Minnesota's pass catchers.
If Gordon does miss Monday Night Football, backup Nick McCloud will likely replace him in the slot.
Details emerge on Howie Roseman and Philadelpia Eagles' failed but bold trade offer with Dallas Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman made an aggressive attempt to acquire Dallas Cowboys star edge rusher Micah Parsons last week, but came up empty.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Cowboys quickly shut down the idea, with owner Jerry Jones showing zero interest in sending one of the league’s best defensive players to a division rival.
Over the weekend, new details surfaced revealing what Roseman is believed to have offered in the proposed deal for Parsons.
“The team that actually threw in the biggest offer was the Philadelphia Eagles for two 1’s, a 3 and a 5, amongst other things,” NFL insider Jay Glazer said on Sunday’s NFL on Fox. “Obviously didn’t want to trade them in the division, but the Green Bay Packers, they chimed in early, they kept with it, and Kenny Clark is what made the difference for Dallas.”
To be clear, Philly was going to send at least two first-round picks, a third-round pick, a fifth-round pick, and more to Dallas for Parsons.
Sure, Parsons is undeniably one of the best, but Roseman was offering far too much. In the end, it seems the Eagles came out on top.
Meanwhile, the Packers gave up two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark for Parsons. They also signed Parsons to a four-year, $188 million extension, making him the richest non-quarterback in NFL history.
Micah Parsons Wanted to Land With His Hometown Team
In addition to what the Eagles were willing to give up, The Athletic's Diana Russini reported Parsons' preferred destination -- and it was his hometown team.
Here's what Russini wrote in here latest insider column:
"As the relationship deteriorated, Parsons had two teams on his mind: the Packers and the Eagles.
"Green Bay appealed for its small-town feel, a reminder of his Penn State days in State College. Philadelphia was the other obvious fit, because it’s close to his Harrisburg home. But Dallas wasn’t about to keep him inside the NFC East, even for a better offer (the Eagles have tons of draft ammunition).
"
Parsons playing for his hometown team would have made for a happy homecoming; instead, Philly saves a ton of draft capital.
Blazers are paying $104 million to learn what Celtics already knew
The Portland Trail Blazers traded for Jrue Holiday this summer, taking on the $104 million remaining in his contract as a result. They'll soon learn what the Boston Celtics already knew: Holiday is rapidly declining at 35 years old.
Last season in Boston, Holiday averaged 11.1 points and 3.9 assists, both of which were the lowest since his 2009-10 rookie season with the Philadelphia 76ers. He is still impactful as a two-way guard, but Holiday is no longer the top-tier perimeter defender he once was.
Jrue Holiday's decline makes Portland's trade more puzzling
Credit to Brad Stevens and the Celtics as they managed to buy low and sell high on Holiday, acquiring him as the missing piece to help them win a championship, and then finding a way to offload him for an expiring Anfernee Simons to duck the second apron when his production declined. But unfortunately, both deals came at the Blazers' expense.
Robert Williams III was a key piece in the initial Holiday trade, but he has only played 26 games in his first two seasons with the Blazers. This time around, Portland is trading a 26-year-old Simons just entering his prime for Holiday, who doesn't align with their rebuilding timeline.
There are still benefits to this deal for Portland. Holiday will help make them more competitive in the short term while also aiding the development of their young core with his valuable mentorship. But is that really worth $104 million in the scheme of things for Portland's long-term outlook?
For one, they already had an overpaid veteran on their roster in Jerami Grant. That myopic trade for Holiday unnecessarily caps Portland's rebuilding ceiling. Having two overpaid veterans makes it that much harder to upgrade their roster while also retaining their young core, despite being projected to have significant cap space next summer.
Additionally, anything Holiday provides in terms of being a veteran guard to help Portland's up-and-coming backcourt is diminished with Damian Lillard's return, as the purposes they serve on this roster are redundant.
It's understandable that general manager Joe Cronin wants the Blazers to win now. They have endured a four-year playoff drought, their young core showed signs of improvement towards the end of last season, and, most importantly, Cronin's job could be on the line with Tom Dundon set to take over as owner in 2026. He needs to make a strong case for Dundon not wanting to clean house, but Holiday isn't going to be that deciding factor at this stage in his career. The upgrade from Simons to Holiday isn't significant enough to drastically alter their standing in the landscape of the competitive Western Conference.
Portland isn't much better off in the short term and is worse off in the long run, which should have been the priority with their rebuilding timeline. Boston already knew that Holiday's contract could quickly turn into a negative asset with his age and declining play, especially with how strapped teams are financially under the new CBA. You'd think Portland would be more aware of this with how their situation with Grant has played out, but now they have two expensive, declining players to worry about while navigating this complex roster.
