Bears get two defensive starters back this week

LAKE FOREST – As the team looks ahead to their final four games of the 2022 season, it looks like they’ll have two of their young starters back in their secondary.

Safety Jaquan Brisker and cornerback Kyle Gordon are both out of concussion protocol and will return to practice for the Bears as they get ready to face the Eagles on Sunday at Soldier Field.

Both players were in the protocol the last two weeks, entering after the team’s Week 11 loss to the Falcons in Atlanta. Neither Brisker nor Gordon took part in practice before the games against the Jets or the Packers.

But with the team on the bye, both players were able to get healthy and got out of the protocol at the start of this week. The rookies are expected to practice on Wednesday when the team begins their preparations at Halas Hall.

“It’s important for us to be able to ramp those guys up. They’ve been working with strength staff and doing those types of things and running on the side, but we’ve got to make sure we ramp them up the right way coming Wednesday and working through the rest of the week,” said head coach Matt Eberflus of Brisker and Gordon on Monday.

Both second round picks of the Bears in this April’s NFL Draft, the pair started the first 11 games of their careers before entering the concussion protocol after the Falcons’ game.

Brisker has enjoyed a strong season as he’s emerged as a potential long-term starter for the defense, collecting three sacks, five tackles for loss along with an interception, forced fumble, and fumble recovery.

He’s fourth on the Bears with 73 total tackles, with 53 of those being solo stops.

In his 11 games this season, Gordon has four passes defended along with an interception and forced fumble to go along with his 55 total tackles.