Jaylon Johnson

Montez Sweat Addresses Bears Extension Talks; Latest On Jaylon Johnson

November 3rd, 2023 at 10:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Last year, the Dolphins traded for Bradley Chubb hours before the trade deadline. Two days later, they finished out extension talks with a deal that prevented a franchise tag scenario for the former Pro Bowler. The Bears are trying to do the same.

Ryan Poles said this week he is confident the Bears will extend Sweat, whom they acquired from the Commanders for a second-round pick. For his part, Sweat does not appear to be in a hurry. It sounds like the contract-year defensive end would prefer to gauge this Bears fit first.

“I think all that goes into play from financial to the people around me to the players in the building, all that type of stuff like that,” Sweat said, via ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin. “I just got here. I’m still trying to figure out where I’m going to lay my head at tonight.”

As mentioned Wednesday, Sweat will be armed with some leverage. The Bears’ anemic pass rush over the past two years coupled with Sweat being in a contract year and being acquired for a pick likely to land in the 30s all stand to drive up the price tag. Although Sweat has no Pro Bowls on his resume, he is moving toward his first double-digit sack season. With the Bears sending over a high pick despite being 2-6, this trade is aimed around reaching an extension agreement. Sweat’s camp knowing this will undoubtedly set a high bar to clear.

The Bears will likely have the franchise tag ready for Sweat in the event the sides cannot come to terms by the March deadline to apply tags, but that could also run the risk of Jaylon Johnson departing in free agency. The Bears engaged in extension talks with the ascending contract-year cornerback last month, but failed trade talks — accelerated by the team granting his camp permission to seek a trade hours before the deadline — did not lead to a deal. The Bears wanted at least a second-rounder for Johnson, and Poles said the trade push came from Johnson’s camp after the Chargers game.

“There’s a difference between talking and trying to work things out versus trying to get things done,” Johnson said, via Cronin, of the October negotiations. “Up until this weekend, nothing was done. I figured I wanted some different opportunities to see what else was out there for me. Really, other than that, that’s about it.”

Still, the prospect of Sweat being paid first does not sit too well with Johnson. The former second-round pick, whom Pro Football Focus ranks third among corners this season, said (via CBS Sports) “it wouldn’t” go over too well with him if the Bears paid Sweat before extending him. With Johnson not sounding too enthused about restarting negotiations during the season, present circumstances introduce the risk of seeing that happen. Though mutual interest exists between the Bears and Johnson on a second contract, the Utah alum added he is “100%” interested in seeing what is out there for him in free agency.

“Here’s the thing. I don’t want to lose Jaylon Johnson,” Poles said. “If I were to lose Jaylon Johnson, I would like to have a high percentage of hitting on another Jaylon Johnson, which to me, is a late first and into early second. Really simple there. That didn’t happen. We are still open to getting a contract done. I know we’re going to follow Jaylon’s lead on how he wants to go about doing that but we’re still open.”

Sweat being paid early would open the door to the Bears tagging Johnson, but no team has cuffed a corner with the tag since the Rams retagged Trumaine Johnson in 2017. That said, the Bears did use the transition tag on Kyle Fuller in 2018, soon matching a Packers offer sheet to retain him. The transition tag price is expected to come in just south of $17MM, with the franchise tag at nearly $20MM. With the transition tag not providing any compensation for a team if a player signs an unmatched offer sheet, teams rarely use this tag.

The Bears will now see how Matt Eberflus‘ defense looks with Sweat opposite Yannick Ngakoue, with Johnson anchoring the secondary. All three of these players being in contract years (and Eberflus’ seat warming) injects uncertainty into this situation. Though, Sweat can probably count on being in Chicago past 2023.

Jaylon Johnson Wants To Stay With Bears Beyond 2023; Team Sought Big Return

November 1st, 2023 at 4:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Easily Jaylon Johnson‘s most eventful day on this website, Tuesday brought a spree of news pertaining to the contract-year Bears cornerback. The Bears gave Johnson permission to seek a trade, deviating from their previous stance, and discussed him with multiple teams. Ultimately, Johnson is still in Chicago. But Tuesday brought some important status updates.

Most notably, GM Ryan Poles said (via ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin) it would have taken an offer including a first- or second-round pick to pry Johnson from the Bears. This is in line with a report from Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson, who notes the Bears were seeking a second-rounder in a deal Tuesday. Chicago wanted at least a Day 2 pick for the fourth-year starter, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler adds.

The Bears appeared ready to move Johnson, to the point the ascending cover man expected to be traded, per the Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley. Even with the stream of trade rumors and potential destinations — from Buffalo to San Francisco — swirling, Johnson still wants to be with the Bears beyond this season, Finley adds. Poles also wants Johnson to be with the team beyond 2023; that will require a hefty contract extension. Johnson also said in June he wanted to sign his second contract with the Bears, though negotiations have not gone smoothly.

Johnson, 24, has shown some well-timed growth. His coverage numbers, via Pro Football Focus or Pro-Football-Reference, are among the best in the league. The 2020 second-round pick ranks third among corners, per PFF, and his completion percentage yielded (50.0), yards per target (5.3) and passer rating as the closest defender (48.1) are considerably better than what he showed in the past. PFF had never previously rated Johnson higher than 50th in a season at his position. Johnson added a two-interception game, including a pick-six, against the Raiders in Week 7.

This profile may lead to some teams being leery of a big payment, and Johnson himself said he is not trying to reset the cornerback market or establish a new positional record. More consistent corners are candidates to do that, but Josh Norman once used a monster contract year to break the CB salary record — back in 2016, when the Panthers rescinding his franchise tag sent him to the market. Even if a Norman path is not viable, Johnson has made himself some money to start his contract year.

The Johnson camp’s ask prompted the Bears to let him look elsewhere, with a midday rumor circulating the team only did this to see what other clubs were willing to pay him. Poles said (via The Athletic’s Adam Jahns) the Bears and Johnson have not engaged in extensive negotiations, pointing to the team’s final offer having not yet emerged. Teams’ apparent unwillingness to include a second-rounder in trades also stands to shape the next round of Johnson talks with the Bears.

Montez Sweat now being in the extension picture, as the key variable in that equation, complicates matters for the Bears and Johnson. Sweat looks to have jumped the line for franchise tag priority. Considering the Bears drafted two second-round corners (Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson) in Poles’ first two years, it would certainly seem Sweat is the priority. If the recently initiated Sweat extension talks produce a deal, a tag would be open for Johnson. The corner tag is projected to come in north of $19MM, however. No team has tagged a corner since the Rams cuffed Trumaine Johnson twice (2016-17).

Bears Not Expected To Trade CB Jaylon Johnson

October 31st, 2023 at 2:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

On a day when the Bears have made one major addition, they do not appear poised to subtract significantly from their roster. Chicago is expected to retain cornerback Jaylon Johnson, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Johnson’s already-murky future with the Bears saw a notable development earlier today when he was given permission to seek a trade. To no surprise, interest in the 24-year-old picked up with the 49ers and Bills among the team conducting trade talks on a potential Johnson swap. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune notes that the Bears put a high price on Johnson, which has no doubt limited how willing contenders have been to acquire him.

The former second-rounder is in a contract year, and his financial status is at the heart of the uncertainty surrounding his tenure in the Windy City. Johnson recently indicated that talks on an extension were set to pick up, but no serious ground appears to have been gained in that regard. Any acquiring team would have needed to hand out a lucrative new pact upon his arrival, or used the franchise tag on him. The latter move would carry a cost of roughly $19.5MM in 2024. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports no in-season extension talks will be held in the wake of a trade not materializing.

Johnson and his camp may very well have used the past few hours to gauge his market with respect to his value on a second contract. No serious suitors emerging could be a sign he is not viewed as being worth a CB1-level investment, though the depth in which a potential trade was discussed is not currently known. On that point, the Bills made an “aggressive attempt” for the Utah alum, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz. For the time being, Johnson – who has remained an anchor of the Bears’ secondary and recorded a pair of interceptions and four pass deflections this year – can continue his fourth season in Chicago knowing he will close out the campaign there ahead of what will no doubt be an interesting offseason in his case.

Packers To Send CB Rasul Douglas To Bills

October 31st, 2023 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mentioned as team pursuing cornerback help, the Bills will acquire it in the form of Rasul Douglas. The Packers are sending their Jaire Alexander sidekick to Buffalo, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.

The Bills have lost No. 1 corner Tre’Davious White for the season, after an early-October Achilles tear, and have not seen much from 2022 first-round pick Kaiir Elam. While Elam remains on Buffalo’s roster — after trade rumors swirled last week — the team will have a veteran boundary corner en route to help the cause. The Bills are sending the Packers a third-round pick in exchange for Douglas and a fifth, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones tweets. These are each 2024 draft choices, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.

Green Bay re-signed Douglas to a three-year, $21MM deal during last year’s free agency period, doing so after the 2021 waiver claim showed quality form to help that Packers edition earn another No. 1 seed. With the Packers (2-5) no longer near that point in their first post-Aaron Rodgers season, they will sell at the deadline. This would give Eric Stokes a starting spot to return to, but the 2021 first-round pick is on IR. Rumors of Douglas moving to safety were unfounded, and the latter opened the season as the outside starter opposite Alexander.

This will not be a difficult contract for the Bills to absorb this season. The Packers restructured Douglas’ deal previously, leaving a prorated $1.1MM in base salary coming to the Bills’ cap sheet. Douglas is due $6.25MM in nonguaranteed money next year.

On the field, Douglas will be expected to step in as a starter at some point. The Bills have used former sixth- and seventh-rounders — Christian Benford and Dane Jackson — as their primary outside cover men since White’s injury. Elam has not shown enough growth, and he will have a tougher road to late-season playing time now.

Buffalo pursued Chicago contract-year standout Jaylon Johnson, after the Bears granted him permission to seek a trade. The team made what is believed to be an aggressive effort to pry him from the Windy City, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets, but the Bears rebuffed all Johnson inquiries today. Chicago holding onto Johnson led to Buffalo finding its upgrade on another NFC North roster. The Bears were seeking a big return for Johnson; the Bills will make a midlevel move for Douglas, who is in his age-29 season.

Douglas intercepted nine passes between the 2021 and ’22 seasons, doing so despite playing different positions. After successfully replacing Alexander in 2021, Douglas moved to the slot to accommodate the highly paid defender’s return last year. That effort did not go well, but the Packers moved him back outside after Stokes’ midseason injury last year. Douglas and Alexander began this season as Green Bay’s perimeter corners, with Keisean Nixon inside. The Bills have Taron Johnson entrenched in the slot, which stands to allow Douglas to see boundary reps soon.

Pro Football Focus slots Douglas 18th overall among corners this season; he has one interception and six pass breakups. The Bills are in a crucial year, as Von Miller is now 34 and Stefon Diggs turns 30 next month. They also have rental pass rusher Leonard Floyd (31) on a one-year deal. A 2017 Eagles third-round pick who contributed to the team’s Super Bowl LII-winning season as a rookie, Douglas will be in position to help a Bills defense that ranks 14th in DVOA. With games against the Bengals, Chiefs, Eagles, Cowboys and Dolphins still on the schedule, the Bills were probably wise to at least upgrade at one defensive spot. The team will still not be at full strength for those games, with Matt Milano and DaQuan Jones out indefinitely.

NFC North Notes: Brissett, Bears, Lions

October 31st, 2023 at 10:20am CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings will have a decision to make today. They have clawed their way from 0-3 to 4-4, sitting firmly in the NFC playoff race. But Kirk Cousins‘ injury threatens to deal a death blow to Minnesota’s hopes of making a second consecutive postseason trip for the first time since the 2008-09 seasons. The Vikings attempted to add ex-Kevin O’Connell charge John Wolford, but the Buccaneers’ practice squad QB will instead be promoted in Tampa. However, Jacoby Brissett looms as a name floating around the league as a possible solution, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com notes. While it remains unclear if Minnesota is truly intent on pursuing a notable outside upgrade, some around the league have mentioned Brissett as a sensible option.

Brissestt signed a one-year, $8MM deal with the Commanders but saw Sam Howell constantly mentioned as an ascending player this offseason. Howell won the job easily and has shown flashes. Brissett, 30, also has extensive experience as an emergency QB option. He took the Colts’ 2017 reins shortly after a trade, needed to replace Andrew Luck again after a surprise 2019 retirement and was called upon for an 11-game starter run during Deshaun Watson‘s 2022 suspension.

One theory regarding the Bears allowing Jaylon Johnson to pursue a trade centers around Chicago seeing what kind of extension the contract-year cornerback can command, per the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs. Johnson, 24, does not have to be extended immediately if traded; an acquiring team would have exclusive negotiating rights until the 2024 legal tampering period. Said team could also use the franchise tag, though the cornerback tag price — expected to be around $19.5MM — may not be realistic here. As of now, the Bears have until March to re-sign Johnson. Though, extension talks breaking off obviously does not represent a good sign. The 49ers and Bills are in on Johnson; the Bears have until 3pm CT to make a trade.
Staying on the quarterback topic, the Bears will once again go with Tyson Bagent. The rookie UDFA will start in Week 9, Matt Eberflus announced, with Justin Fields needing more time to recover from his thumb injury. This will be Fields’ third missed start. While Fields remains week to week, no surgery has taken place. But a Bears season that hinged on Fields making progress — after the team passed on using the No. 1 overall pick on a quarterback, trading the selection away — has morphed into a rare backdrop for a Division II-produced arm seeing extensive time.
The Lions have made good on their offseason hype, starting 6-2. This will naturally lead to expectations their coordinators will be in demand come 2024. In the event the Lions see Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn become head coaches in 2024, after both interviewed for jobs this year, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes that running backs coach Scottie Montgomery and Kelvin Sheppard are the most likely internal candidates to be promoted. Sheppard, 35, is in place as Detroit’s inside linebackers coach; he has been on Dan Campbell‘s staff for three years. The Lions added Montgomery, 45, this offseason, after he spent the past two years as the Colts’ running backs coach. Although continuity might be preferred, teams must interview at least one external minority candidate for coordinator jobs.
As trades dominate the news cycle ahead of the 3pm deadline, the Packers agreed to terms with Rashan Gary on a monster extension. The fifth-year defender is now the NFL’s fifth-highest-paid edge defender, signing a four-year, $96MM deal.

Bills, 49ers Discussing Jaylon Johnson With Bears

October 31st, 2023 at 10:14am CST by Sam Robinson

Jaylon Johnson‘s request to be traded has produced multiple interested buyers. The Bills and 49ers are in discussions with the Bears about acquiring the contract-year cornerback, ESPN’s Ed Werder reports.

It is not known if these are the only two teams in on the ascending cover man, but Buffalo and San Francisco have each been previously linked to seeking CB assistance. Johnson would be poised to step in as a starter for either team, with the Bills in particular — seeing as they have lost Tre’Davious White at the position and Matt Milano and DaQuan Jones elsewhere on defense — being a team in need.

The Bills have not seen their 2022 first-round cornerback investment — Kaiir Elam — take off. The Florida alum could not wrest a starting job away from 2022 sixth-rounder Christian Benford, and White’s Achilles tear has not led to regular playing time this season. Benford and Dane Jackson stand as Buffalo’s starting outside corners, with Taron Johnson still manning the slot. Elam has come up in trades, with the Bills seemingly already admitting a misstep in the 2022 draft.

With Von Miller in his age-34 season and Stefon Diggs turning 30 next month, the Bills have a fair amount of urgency to capitalize on their strong roster this season. The White, Milano and Jones injuries have understandably hindered the three-time reigning AFC East champions’ defense. Today marks the Bills’ best opportunity to upgrade; the trade deadline looms in less than five hours.

Despite returning the corners from a No. 1-ranked defense, the 49ers have struggled in recent weeks. Both the Vikings and Bengals bested the 49ers’ secondary, with Minnesota doing so without Justin Jefferson, in upset wins. The 49ers have allowed more than 400 yards in back-to-back games. While Pro Football Focus ranks Charvarius Ward as a top-20 corner, Deommodore Lenoir sits outside the top 50. Some among the 49ers also liked Johnson in the 2020 draft, per ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner.

The 49ers also bring some urgency, having lost the past two NFC championship games. The Seahawks have since passed the 49ers in the NFC West race, with Kyle Shanahan‘s team slipping to 4-3. The 49ers also hold the most cap space in the NFL. While that will not matter much in a pursuit of Johnson, who is in the final year of a second-round rookie contract, San Francisco does have some ammo other teams do not if upgrades are truly sought today.

PFF’s No. 3 overall corner this season, Johnson has gone from angling for a Bears extension in the offseason to discussing a deal last week to being granted permission to find a trade partner. The Bears will undoubtedly seek a strong return to move the former second-round pick, as they would be in position to net a mid-round compensatory choice if Johnson leaves in free agency. The Bears have not been shy about dealing Ryan Pace-era defensive bastions, having moved Roquan Smith, Robert Quinn and Khalil Mack under second-year GM Ryan Poles.

Both Werder and CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson note the Cowboys are not believed to be in this late-forming derby. After Jerry Jones indicated a satisfaction with the team he has assembled, Anderson adds the price for Johnson is believed to be dissuading the Cowboys from making a genuine push. Dallas has been without Trevon Diggs for a few weeks now, with the All-Pro corner suffering an ACL tear in practice.

Bears Grant CB Jaylon Johnson Permission To Seek Trade

October 31st, 2023 at 8:13am CST by Sam Robinson

The extension conversations between Jaylon Johnson and the Bears have transpired over the past week, but they have not produced sufficient progress. As a result, Johnson will be a name to monitor on deadline day.

Johnson requested permission to find a trade partner, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, and the Bears granted it. The contract-year cornerback’s camp is now on the hunt for a new team. While Fowler adds the Eagles, Steelers and 49ers are believed to be teams in on veteran corners, it is unclear as of now if Johnson will follow Roquan Smith out the door after contract talks broke down.

A Bears second-round pick who has been a starter throughout his career, Johnson arrived in Chicago before the Ryan Poles–Matt Eberflus tandem. The Ryan Pace-era pickup expressed a desire for a Bears extension back in June, and the talks began recently. But they have not satisfied the Utah alum. Poles has called Johnson a building-block player, but his price has gone up this season.

The Bears have until 3pm CT today to unload Johnson, though it is unlikely they will take whatever they can get. Johnson leaving in free agency would produce a compensatory pick, provided the Bears’ 2024 addition/subtraction balance sheet adds up, so that will need to be weighed against any offers that come in today.

Earlier this month, the Bears were not looking to move Johnson. The 6-foot cover man has started all 45 games he has played for the team. He has taken a contract-year step forward, per Pro Football Focus, which rates the 24-year-old defender third among corners this season. The advanced metrics site had never previously slotted Johnson higher than 50th. Johnson’s completion percentage-allowed (50%) and passer rating-against (44.3) figures have also spiked this season. While this points to Johnson upping his value ahead of either an extension or a free agency push, the Bears could also be leery of overpaying for a platform-year fluke.

That said, Chicago has not been hesitant to trade past-regime acquisitions for draft capital. This front office unloaded Smith and Robert Quinn at last year’s deadline, doing so after sending Khalil Mack to the Chargers. Johnson is unlikely to fetch the second- and fifth-round package Smith did or the second-/sixth-round haul Mack required. But teams will undoubtedly express interest, with the Bills also believed to be looking around at corner. It will be interesting to see if the rebuilding Bears can find a suitable trade. The team has two Poles-era investments at corner — Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon — each signed through the 2025 season.

Bears Unlikely To Be Active At Deadline?

October 26th, 2023 at 11:05am CST by Adam La Rose

Firmly in the middle of a rebuild, it would come as no surprise if the Bears elected to move on from one or more notable players in the coming days. Despite having a few options in that regard, though, it appears unlikely that will be the case.

Citing the views of an AFC scout, Adam Jahns of The Athletic details that a major move in the coming days should not be expected (subscription required). Last year, Chicago agreed to send All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith to the Ravens for a package including a second-round pick. A sizeable move of similar impact would likely only happen if the likes of cornerback Jaylon Johnson, safety Eddie Jackson or wideout Darnell Mooney were to be dealt.

That trio represents the Bears players most likely to garner attention, per Jahns. They would, of course, come at varying prices in a swap given their different age and contract statuses. Johnson’s future in the Windy City has been called into question on a number of occasions, but the 24-year-old said earlier this week that talks on an extension could heat up soon. General manager Ryan Poles has expressed a desire to keep Johnson in place beyond 2023, so a trade coming to fruition in the coming days would come as a surprise.

Jackson has a longer track record of success, but his age, along with injury- and finance-related factors would complicate a trade. The two-time Pro Bowler has been limited to just three games this season, and he last played a full campaign in 2020. Jackson is also due a non-guaranteed salary of $14.5MM in 2024, his age-30 season. He is scheduled to carry a cap hit of $18.1MM, so any acquiring team would either need to work out an extension to make his contract easier to work with in future years or make him a cap casualty after the season.

Mooney, like Johnson, is due for a second contract this offseason. The 2020 fifth-rounder appeared to cement his status as a long-term piece with a 1,000-yard campaign in his second season, but things have taken a turn since then. Mooney put up career lows in receptions, yards and touchdowns last season as the Bears struggled to find production in the passing game. That led to the acquisition of D.J. Moore, something which has in part resulted in a drop in Mooney’s playing time. The latter’s snap share sits at 70%, and he has made just 14 catches through seven games.

With over $9MM in cap space and seven 2024 draft picks at the moment, the Bears have plenty of flexibility with respect to the upcoming trade deadline. Their ability to receive more signficant draft capital in trades for Johnson and/or Mooney than the compensatory picks they would be due in the event they departed in free agency will likely factor heavily into their handling of those players. Overall, as Jahns notes, a busy few days from Poles and Co. would come as a surprise.

Bears, Jaylon Johnson Discussing Extension

October 24th, 2023 at 8:55am CST by Adam La Rose

Despite not being on the trade block, Jaylon Johnson‘s future with the Bears has been uncertain throughout 2023. The contract-year corner recently spoke about his situation, and revealed that more clarity on his fate in 2024 and beyond may be coming.

Johnson made it clear this offseason that he wanted to re-up with the Bears, but little progress has been made on contract talks. The 24-year-old changed agents in advance of the regular season, one in which he has maintained his starting role as part of a young Chicago CB contingent. Johnson had a career day in Week 7 with a pair of interceptions, including a pick-six. His ‘money counting’ touchdown celebration led to questions regarding whether or not it was a reference to his contract status, which he later answered emphatically in the affirmative.

Bears GM Ryan Poles has been willing to see the 2023 season play out in Johnson’s case, and the presence of recent draftees (Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith) at the CB spot have threatened to make Johnson expendable. However, a recent report indicated Chicago is not interested in seeking out a trade partner for the Utah product. Johnson has nevertheless pondered about the possibility of being dealt ahead of the October 31 trade deadline, something which would become a moot point if extension talks produced an agreement. Slight progress appears to have been made on that front.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s a process, it’s a process,” Johnson said during an appearance on 670 The Score’s Parkins & Spiegel Show. “But things are, I would say, starting to hopefully, to ramp up. We’ll see kind of where things go, especially in this next week… Because I mean, to me, it’s different and just talking and really just, ‘OK, well, let’s try to figure something out, let’s try to figure something out’ versus things getting done. So I’m just looking forward to seeing what actually gets done.”

As his remarks demonstrate, nothing is imminent with respect to a deal being worked out. Still, the fact that the parties are discussing a deal with only one week remaining until the trade deadline confirms a desire exists on both sides to continue their relationship beyond 2023. Johnson has not only doubled his interception total for his career compared to where it stood before last week’s game, he has posted a personal best in completion percentage allowed (47.8%) through five games played. He could thus be a core player for the rebuilding Bears for years to come if an agreement can be reached on a multi-year pact.

Failing that, the franchise tag could come into play. The one-year tender would check in at a cost of roughly $19.5MM, and the team’s preference would no doubt be a long-term contract carrying a lower AAV than that. If talks with Johnson are indeed picking up, it will be interesting to see how much progress is made in the coming days as the Bears prepare for the trade deadline.

Bears Not Looking To Trade CB Jaylon Johnson

October 13th, 2023 at 1:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

As the October 31 trade deadline draws nearer, the identity of buyers and sellers around the NFL should come further into focus. At 1-4, the Bears would presumably fall into the latter category, but that status would not include seeking a deal to ship out one of their starting corners.

Chicago is not currently shopping Jaylon Johnson, Adam Jahns of The Athletic writes (subscription required). The 24-year-old is in the final season of his rookie contract, and his status as a rental would no doubt be appealing to any number of teams looking to shore up their secondary. As Jahns adds, though, Johnson is still seeking a deal which will keep him in the Windy City beyond 2023.

The former second-rounder changed agents this summer in pursuit of an extension, but no new contract has materialized as of yet. That will likely continue through the remainder of the campaign, something which would leave him free to depart in March in the absence of a second Bears pact. How willing team and player are to enter into a continued relationship will be a key factor in informing Chicago’s next step in this situation.

Johnson has been a full-time starter in all four of his Bears campaigns, a stretch which has seen him record only one interception (though he has added 32 pass breakups and a trio of forced fumbles). The Utah alum has fared better in his past two seasons than the first two with respect to coverage statistics, and he has allowed a career-best opposing passer rating of 57.4 in 2023, albeit on only 11 targets across three contests. He would be a logical trade target for acquiring teams prepared to extend him on a market-level deal for 2024 and beyond.

The Bears have added three cornerbacks over the past two drafts (Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith). The former two have operated as starters when healthy, and dealing away Johnson would give the team the option of moving Gordon from the slot back to the perimeter, where he started his career. On the other hand, a new Johnson pact would not require a market-resetting investment like the one the Ravens made in linebacker Roquan Smith after he was dealt away by Chicago midseason last year. Whether or not general manager Ryan Poles follows the same course of action with Johnson will be a key storyline to follow in the coming days and weeks.

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