LAKE FOREST, Ill. –The Bears are banged up in the secondary. So bad, in fact, that their three presumptive starters all missed Week 8. General manager Ryan Poles understood the situation and went outside the organization for help.

In comes veteran defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, someone with a history of quality play and volatility on and off the field. He got cut by a Houston Texans team that traded for him after just three games, with reports that he had conflicts with the coaching staff. He has had altercations on the field, including one in 2020 where Chicago’s Javon Wims full-on punched him.

[READ: Bears sign C.J. Gardner-Johnson to depleted secondary]

Head coach Ben Johnson believes the Bears’ leadership will make sure he fits in well.

“We’ve got a very strong locker room,” he said. “We’ve got a positive veteran influence in there. I feel very strongly about that group and nothing is more important than our locker room, to be clear with you. That’s certainly first and foremost of any decision we make of who we bring in or who we let go. And so, I think we’re all aware of how important that is and the fit that he has with this locker room.”

Gardner-Johnson’s history with Bears coaches should help with that. Dennis Allen was Saints defensive coordinator when New Orleans drafted him, and the two have a strong relationship. He overlapped with Johnson in Detroit as well.

[Film Breakdown: Darnell Wright dissects key third-down play in Bears’ loss to Ravens]

“Coach DA gave me a chance when I was a rookie in 2019, and I played with coach Ben in Detroit, we went to an NFC Championship,” Gardner-Johnson said in a press conference. “So, talking to them two on the phone and hearing how much they care about me, and understanding as a player that they care for me. It felt like the right spot for me.”

All that adds layers to this signing, but there’s little doubt that Gardner-Johnson can still play. The Bears will have him play slot cornerback, a position he played a bunch in New Orleans before moving to safety later in his career.

Gardner-Johnson has 18 career interceptions, including six last year with the Eagles, and has played well when healthy.

Gardner-Johnson believes he will play on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals despite such a short ramp-up period in Chicago. Knowing Dennis Allen’s defensive scheme and its concepts should help, especially because he played slot cornerback in it.

He wanted to find the right fit after experiencing the wrong one in Houston. He obviously wants to play, but he wants to mesh well with the organization. The Bears need him to play, but that’s not the most important thing.

“Not more so needs but more so a place where I’m comfortable with the culture,” Gardner-Johnson said. “This team was already good before me. They won four straight games. A loss doesn’t deteriorate a team from who they are. They are good. Just coming in to add extra fire, extra skill to the back end.  I’m happy to be here.”

[READ: Spice Adams sends Caleb Williams advice after Bears’ NFL Week 8 loss]

Joe Flacco ’50-50’ to play Bears

The Bears are on quarterback watch for a second straight week, with Bengals signal caller Joe Flacco dealing with an injury to his shoulder’s AC joint. He did not practice on Wednesday, though Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor said there will be a plan to see what he can do throughout the week.

We’ll see what we can potentially get out of him (Thursday),” Taylor said, via ESPN. “We’ll just work through the week. I think right now it’s probably at 50-50 on what will end up [happening] on Sunday.”

Jake Browning will start if Flacco can’t go. The Bengals have dealt with quarterback injuries most of the year, after top passer Joe Burrow suffered a toe injury in Week 2.

The Bears went through a similar experience last week, when it was uncertain if Lamar Jackson would play for the Ravens. Ultimately, he did not suit up.

[WATCH: Ben Johnson reacts to reunion with new Bears CB C.J. Gardner-Johnson]

Bears missing several skill players

The Bears’ receiver corps was nearly barren during Wednesday’s padded practice, with Rome Odunze (heel), DJ Moore (hip/groin), Luther Burden II (concussion) and Olamide Zaccheaus (knee) as non-participants.

Oduzne’s absence was a surprise, as he finished Sunday’s game. Johnson had previously mentioned that Zaccheaus is day-to-day, and Moore has been missing practice but playing with a hip injury suffered at Washington.

Running back D’Andre Swift has been doing the same thing with his groin injury, though it clearly impacted his in-game availability, plus his speed and burst, against the Ravens.

The Bears did get some good news, with tight end Cole Kmet (back) and Tyrique Stevenson (shoulder) back in a limited capacity after missing

Here’s the full Wednesday participation report: