Chicago Bears activate Kyler Gordon and more: what a secondary shake up means

All eyes might be on Caleb Williams' and his return, but the Chicago Bears are getting a high-paid defender back for this week's game against the Falcons.

Kyler Gordon was activated from the physically unable to perform list on Saturday, making him active for the first time this season and for the first time since the NFC Divisional Round against the Rams.

Now, he's being called up as part of a defensive shake-up for the Bears.

Here's what this shake-up means for the secondary.

Big picture view:

The Bears' defense is shaking up a bit.

On Saturday, they activated Gordon and elevated defensive back Nick McCloud while also releasing veteran safety Xavier Woods. Dayo Odeyongbo was also placed on injured reserve.

Woods started two of the four games he's played this year for the Bears. He started last week against the Packers in the Bears' 31-7 loss at Lambeau Field.

Woods' release is a sign of where the Bears' stand with their secondary.

Releasing Woods leaves Cam Lewis as the starting safety next to Dillon Thieneman. The Bears really have liked how Malik Muhammad has come along in his rookie season through five games.

Gordon will most likely be on a snap count. This means McCloud and Clark Phillips could play at nickel cornerback while Muhammad plays outside with Tyrique Stevenson listed as questionable.

McCloud played for the Bears last season and the team likes his ability to play outside cornerback and nickel. He'll most likely factor into the rotation at nickel, but it's safe to assume Gordon will take over that role when he's off his snap count. The coaches are already impressed with how Gordon has looked in practice.

"I've said this before. I think Kyler can help us win games," Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said on Thursday. "When that time comes where he's able to be out there on the field and participate and help us win games, I'm looking forward to that time."

This deepens the nickel rotation.

It means the safety position is rotating.

Dig deeper:

Woods' release is a sign the Bears weren't satisfied enough with how that position is playing. The Bears got burned twice by Christian Watson last Sunday for touchdowns of 53 and 42 yards.

Woods was victimized on one play and Thieneman was victimized on another. 

The Bears are using the touchdown against Thieneman as a teaching tape. It was a moment where the Bears wanted to see him be more aggressive.

"The next step for Dillon is: just go and attack it," Giordano said. "He's got the athletic ability that everyone sees and it's just like a confidence when that ball's in the air, Yeah. That ball's yours, go get it. And I believe he will next time."

For Woods, the Bears decided they needed to make a change. Now, Cam Lewis steps in a safety. With the deepened nickel rotation, Lewis could bump back up top to safety. Skyler Thomas is now the main backup at free safety.

The bottom line is the Bears needed guys who could make plays. They'll get Gordon back, that's a step in the right direction. They're hoping Thieneman and Lewis can make plays where others haven't, especially after 

"They kept chucking it," Giordano said. "Then the common denominator is this: We gotta go make a play on it. Hats off to them. They made the plays. We didn't, so that's something we gotta work on and apply forward and next time it happens, let's go make the play."

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