CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bears are getting closer to the return of one of their top defensive players, Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
Coach Ben Johnson announced Friday that the Bears have opened the 21-day practice window for Johnson to come off injured reserve. Johnson has been out since early September when he sustained a core muscle injury while diving to make a play in Chicago's Week 2 loss at Detroit.
Nine weeks after undergoing surgery, Johnson made his way back to the practice field where he was listed as a limited participant. He carries a questionable designation for the Bears game at Minnesota on Sunday.
"We'll see how long it'll take to get him back in shape," Ben Johnson said. "But I think he's in a good spot right now, and I think being out on the grass is going to be a good thing for him."
Jaylon Johnson has dealt with multiple soft-tissue injuries dating back to July. He was placed on the non-football injury list before training camp after he tore the adductor off his pelvic bone while training in the offseason. Johnson missed all of the preseason and the Bears' season opener against the Vikings.
He returned to practice ahead of the Lions game but was listed throughout the week with a groin injury. Johnson exited the Lions game in the second quarter after sustaining the injury and did not return.
The Bears have not fielded their starting secondary this season. In addition to Johnson's injuries, nickel corner Kyler Gordon has been limited to two games after a hamstring injury forced him to miss most of training camp and Chicago's first four games. Gordon was placed on injured reserve ahead of Week 8 with a calf injury and is eligible to return next Sunday when the Bears host the Steelers.
Ben Johnson reiterated that the team believes Gordon's injury is of the "short-term variety" and that his return will come "hopefully in the near future."
The Bears signed C.J. Gardner-Johnson to play the nickel in Gordon's absence. In two games, Gardner-Johnson has three sacks and a forced fumble.
The bill of health that the Bears are expecting soon could allow them to achieve their goal of playing their best football in December and January. After the Steelers game in Week 12, the Bears play defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia on Nov. 28, have two meetings with the Packers in a three-week stretch, travel to San Francisco after Christmas and end the season with the Lions at home in Week 18.
In addition to Johnson and Gordon, the Bears have also been without linebacker T.J. Edwards in four games this season. Edwards had surgery last week to repair a broken hand and is still dealing with a hamstring injury that he aggravated Week 2 in Detroit. The linebacker was ruled out against Minnesota but is expected to return soon and play with a cast on his hand.
"We could potentially have some reinforcements coming between when we get TJ back, when we get Jaylon back, when we get Kyler back," Ben Johnson said. "Those are three guys going into the season you had a lot of high hopes for and what they could do. I certainly had a tremendous amount of respect for all three of those guys competing against them the last few years. I'll be excited when we get all three back on the field together."
Chicago has seen two other players return from injured reserve -- defensive end Austin Booker and linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga -- at the end of both players' injured reserve windows. The latest Johnson could be activated to the 53-man roster would be Dec. 5, two days before the Bears face the Packers in Green Bay.
