The Chicago Bears could get a boost for Sunday’s matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson holds no injury designation on the team’s Friday injury report and is likely to return to action after missing two games with a hip injury.
Additionally, Rome Odunze is listed as questionable with a foot injury but returned to practice in a limited capacity this week. That is a step in the right direction for the second-year receiver, who sat out all last week and missed Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers.
Cornerback Kyler Gordon, on the other hand, has been ruled out with a groin injury. Gordon suffered the injury during pregame warmups Sunday in Green Bay. Asked earlier this week if Gordon would play again this season, coach Ben Johnson said it was “to be determined.”
If Gordon were to go on injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s game, he would be required to miss the final four regular-season games. The earliest he could play again would be the wild-card round of the playoffs.
Gordon has played in only three games this season. Without him, veteran C.J. Gardner-Johnson likely will continue to handle snaps as the nickel corner.
The Bears also ruled out running back Travis Homer with an ankle injury. Receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (hamstring), linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II (shoulder) and cornerback Jaylon Johnson (groin) hold no injury designations.
For Odunze, last week marked the first time in his NFL career that he has missed a game. The Bears certainly missed his presence against the Packers. Odunze leads the Bears in receptions (44), receiving yards (661) and receiving touchdowns (six).
Odunze was not made available for comment Friday. Receiver DJ Moore, who is coming off the least-productive game of his career after totaling one catch for minus-4 yards in Green Bay, said nothing changes whether Odunze is available or not.
“We had Luther (Burden III) go off and you see him doing his thing,” Moore said. “So I mean, I can’t be mad when the whole group is eating.”
The rookie Burden led the Bears with four catches for 67 yards against the Packers.
Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson warms up before a game against the Giants on Nov. 9, 2025, at Soldier Field. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
Stevenson has missed two straight games because of the hip injury. He initially suffered the injury during a collision with teammate Jaquan Brisker on Nov. 16 in Minnesota. Stevenson attempted to play the following week against the Pittsburgh Steelers but exited the game after only 12 snaps of action.
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Stevenson said he was “trying to push it and it just wasn’t (right).” He wound up sitting out the Eagles and Packers games.
“(I) felt pretty bad just sitting at home watching film and everything and not being out there with the guys when I’ve been putting in work all year with them,” Stevenson said Friday. “Just to go out here and cherish the small moments and the big wins that we’ve been winning this year. So it definitely feels better.”
Stevenson’s potential return could mean some more juggling for the Bears in the secondary. The coaching staff will have to divvy up the outside cornerback snaps among Stevenson, Jaylon Johnson and Nahshon Wright.
Wright began the year as a backup but has started 12 games and totaled eight takeaways. His emergence has been one of the more remarkable storylines of the 2025 season. Jaylon Johnson returned from a core muscle injury and has appeared in the last two games, although he has yet to play a full snap count.
“End of the day, everybody’s playing good balls,” Stevenson said. “So whoever’s out there helping this team win, I’m happy and satisfied with that.”
Stevenson said it’s possible he could be on a limited snap count in his return.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/12/chicago-bears-rome-odunze-tyrique-stevenson/