The Chicago Bears designated nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon and left tackle Braxton Jones to return from injured reserve and opened their 21-day practice windows Tuesday.

Meanwhile, it appears wide receiver Rome Odunze is closing in on a return from a foot injury in time for Saturday’s wild-card game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field.

“It’s going to be great,” quarterback Caleb Williams said. “I’m excited to have him back.

“We were talking a few weeks ago when he went down before pregame (against the Cleveland Browns), texted him after the game and said, ‘I got you and we’ll get to the playoffs and we’ll handle business when you come back. But I need you back healthy and ready to go.’”

Odunze has had a lingering issue with his left foot and sat out the Bears’ first game against the Packers on Dec. 7 at Lambeau Field. He participated in warmups before the Dec. 14 game against the Browns but aggravated the injury and didn’t play. He also missed the next three games.

Odunze caught 44 passes over the first 12 games for 661 yards and six touchdowns, which ties Colston Loveland and DJ Moore for the team lead.

Gordon’s potential return from a groin injury would come at a critical time for a secondary that’s down C.J. Gardner-Johnson because of a concussion.

Gordon has played only three games this season. He missed much of training camp and the first four games because of a hamstring injury.

On Oct. 25, the Bears placed both Gordon and Jones on IR, and Gordon missed the next five games with calf and groin injuries. The Bears activated him Nov. 27, and he played 36 snaps against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13.

But they placed him back on IR on Dec. 13 and he missed the final five regular-season games.

Adding Jones, who had a knee injury, would provide insurance and experience for the offensive line.

He emerged from a training camp battle with Theo Benedet and rookie Ozzy Trapilo as the starter at left tackle. Jones started the first four games, but Benedet replaced him during the Week 4 game against the Raiders in Las Vegas.

Benedet started at left tackle the next six games before giving way to Trapilo, a second-round draft pick this year. Trapilo then started the next six games, beginning Nov. 23 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but was inactive for the regular-season finale against the Detroit Lions because of knee and quadriceps injuries.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/06/chicago-bears-kyler-gordon-braxton-jones-return/