Just two weeks into the 2025 regular season, and the Chicago Bears have seen multiple starters re-injure themselves, with top corner Jaylon Johnson likely lost for the year according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Johnson, along with starting linebacker T.J. Edwards, were both sidelined in Week 1 and returned Week 2 against the Detroit Lions. Both left early and didn’t return.
According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, Bears head coach Ben Johnson said the day after the game on September 15 that Johnson “has a new injury, not related to the previous groin/calf issue.”
If Schultz’s report is to be believed, the Bears’ secondary just took a huge hit, and without Kyler Gordon, who has yet to play this season, they’re down two key starters at cornerback.
The reports on Edwards suggest he could miss significant time, as well.
T.J. Edwards Injury Update: Short-Term IR on the Table
A former NFL team doctor for 17 years, current orthopedic surgeon and sports medical analyst Dr. David J. Chao believes “short term IR” is on the table for Edwards. Chao also suggested that Edwards’ return may have been a tad too premature, which led to “aggravation.”
“It’s hard to speculate what will happen, but it’s possible all three will be sidelined through the Week 5 bye,” Biggs wrote about Johnson, Gordon and Edwards on September 15. “Gordon did not practice last week. You’d imagine he will be limited when he does get back to the practice field. Would the Bears hurry him back this week to face the Cowboys?”
The Bears have an early bye Week 5. Edwards is likely a candidate to return after that.
“If any (all three?) miss the Cowboys game, do you see if they can play in Week 4 in Las Vegas or take the cautious route with the bye following that game?” Biggs added. “It’s something to think about because there is a long season ahead, and the Bears don’t want what would be another recurrence for any of the three key defenders.”
More on the Weight of LB Edwards’ Absence
Edwards led the Bears’ defense with 155 tackles his first year with the team in 2023, and he finished second on the squad in that metric in 2024 (129).
On Sunday in Detroit, the minute he left, the ripple effect was obvious. The Lions RBs kept finding daylight, netting over 150 rushing yards after he was taken out.
Take him out of the lineup, and suddenly the Bears are asking younger players like Noah Sewell and rookie Ruben Hyppolite IV to hold down jobs they may not be quite prepared fot. Tremaine Edmunds is big and decent in coverage, but he’s at his best when paired with a reliable partner who frees him to chase rather than always clean up. That’s why Edwards is so underrated and valuable: He makes the people around him better because they can trust him to do the dirty work.
Sewell has played well in limited action, which is encouraging. He’s currently tied for the team lead in tackles with 14, and he’s likely going to see more snaps in the coming weeks.
We’ll see what the Bears ultimately say, but heading into Week 3, Edwards’ injury outlook isn’t great, as hamstring issues can linger. Still, it’s not as bad as it could be.
