A new position for Kyler Gordon? What we heard from Chicago Bears assistant coaches on Thursday

Chicago Bears assistant coaches met with reporters on Thursday, getting chances to introduce themselves and explain what they bring to Chicago.

Here are some of the things we heard from Antwaan Randle El, Dennis Allen and JT Barrett.

Antwaan Randle El is reveling in the Bears' WR room

Bears' receivers coach and assistant head coach Antwaan Randle El is getting used to wearing his Bears' gear after being with the Detroit Lions since 2021.

He's also getting to know his wide receiver room, which includes DJ Moore, Olamide Zaccheus, Rome Odunze, Tyler Scott and more.

Having Odunze gives Randle El a chance to work with a receiver he's had his eye on since the 2024 NFL Draft, where Odunze was drafted in the top 10 alongside Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers.

"Everybody had Harrison first, and then Nabers," Randle El said. "I had Rome first."

In fact, Randle El called then-Washington Wide Receivers Coach JaMarcus Shephard to see if he could get Odunze in Detroit.

"It didn't work out in Detroit," Randle El said. "But I'm glad he's here."

Now, Randle El is enjoying having a room with Odunze, Moore and the rest of the Bears' receiver corps that he can get his hands on.

Randle El said he talked to Odunze and Moore after he was hired, and they both told him they wanted to get better. It was the start of their relationship, and how he could better coach them. Specifically for someone like Moore, who Randle El says has another level Moore can reach as the Bears achieve their goals of being a playoff team. Having the mindset of a playoff receiver is something Moore can achieve.

"He still needs to get ready for that," Randle El said. "That's a mindset he needs to get in."

Moore isn't the only one. Randle El sees it with the entire receiver room.

"We have guys that are hungry and guys that can play right off the bat," Randle El said. "It's up to us, as coaches, to get these guys going, and put them in a place where they can be successful."

Dennis Allen sees multiple positions for Kyler Gordon

Kyler Gordon earned his extension this week, making him the highest-paid slot corner. Now, his defensive coordinator wants him to expand his horizons.

Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said he might have Gordon spend time at outside corner and at safety.

"I told him he needs to be learning both of those spots," Allen said. "Hopefully, we can find some more playing time for him."

This is an effort to get Gordon on the field more often, Allen said. When he was hired, Allen mentioned Gordon by name as a player he's excited to work with.

Right away, Allen sees how versatile Gordon can be.

"Some of the things that I see him do and the way that he fits in the run game tells me that he could be a fit with safety," Allen said. 

This might be a development that comes full circle in training camp and offseason workouts, but Allen wants Gordon to be a player the Bears can use in a myriad of situations.

"That's important in today's football where you're not just locked into one thing, being able to be multiple and do a lot of different things," Allen said. "That's something that I think he can do."

JT Barrett and Caleb Williams see eye-to-eye in coaching style

Bears quarterbacks coach JT Barrett remembers attending the Red River Rivalry in 2021. He was there to see Tom Herman, who coached Barrett at Ohio State and was then the head coach at Texas.

In that game, a freshman quarterback named Caleb Williams took over for Oklahoma and beat the Longhorns 55-48.

"As a player, he's a baller," Barrett said.

Now, Barrett is coaching that quarterback. He and Williams agree one thing: how to be coached.

"I take an approach in how I'd like to be coached as a player," Barrett said. "I'd like to be coached hard."

Williams has expressed plenty of times how he doesn't want a coach who will tip toe around him. He wants a coach that will beat bad habits out him and coach him hard.

Williams can already see that in Ben Johnson. 

"Building that bond, him pushing me, and us growing together for years to come is going to be fun," Williams said of Johnson earlier in April. "I can't wait."

Barrett is going to follow suit.

"It's a process," Barrett said. "We need to take the necessary steps to make sure we're going in the right way."

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