The Chicago Bears are sitting pretty at 8-3 through 12 weeks despite some poor play on defense and a multitude of injuries on that side of the ball. However, Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams have the offense humming and the Bears are right in the middle of the playoff race as a result.
In Week 13, Chicago is facing one of its biggest tests of the season when it will take on the Philadelphia Eagles on the road on Black Friday. Fortunately for Johnson and company, it sounds like they may be getting some reinforcements back on defense for that game. After star cornerback Jaylon Johnson nearly returned in Week 12, safety CJ Gardner-Johnson may have accidentally leaked that Johnson will be back in the lineup on Friday.
“He's one of the best corners in the league. I just feel like, now he’ll get a chance to actually show that, with him being active this week against a great receiving corps,” Gardner-Johnson said, via Scott Bair of Marquee Sports Network. “I’m excited for him, because everybody asks, ‘what can you do against a great receiving corps?’ and he has a chance to prove it, shut everybody up and get back active.”
Johnson has played in just one game this season due to a groin injury that required surgery, but he would be coming back just in time if he is in fact on the field on Friday. While the Eagles have been inconsistent on offense this season, they still have a pair of star receivers in AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, so Johnson's presence will be needed if the Bears want to get a win.
The Bears will also likely be getting Kyler Gordon, their star nickel corner, back for this game after he missed more than a month due to injury as well. The secondary has been one of the weaker units on the roster ever since Johnson and Gordon went down, so the return of both of them could turn this Chicago team from a playoff-caliber squad into a contender.
Regardless, Friday's game will be a good measuring stick for where the Bears are really at during their breakout campaign in Johnson's first season at the helm.
