This offseason, cornerback Jaylon Johnson will get paid by the Chicago Bears or one of the many NFL clubs that need secondary support.
On Monday, November 13, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox predicted that Johnson would sign a five-year deal worth a total of $97.5 million.
Johnson projects as the top cornerback headed to the 2024 market. Chicago considered trading the 24-year-old at the deadline but opted to keep him, and Johnson has turned his attention away from seeking a contract extension.
While Chicago does mix its coverages — as teams typically do — head coach Matt Eberflus has traditionally leaned on a zone defense. Chicago ran zone 55 percent of the time last season, according to Sports Info Solutions.
Johnson would be a great fit for the Miami Dolphins and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, whose system emphasizes light boxes and disguised zone coverages. The San Francisco 49ers are another zone-heavy team that could use a top-tier corner on the back end.
Jaylon Johnson Posting Career Year with Bears in 2023
Johnson’s four-year, $6.5 million rookie contract is coming to an end this season. According to Spotrac, he has a market value of more than $17 million. If he plays out the entire 2023 season the way he did the first, he will have significant negotiating power to increase that figure.
As of Week 10, Pro Football Focus ranked the cornerback sixth among all players at his position, indicating that he is enjoying a career year. In eight games, Johnson has racked up four interceptions, two forced fumbles, a defensive score, and a pass breakup. According to Pro Football Reference, he has limited opposing quarterbacks to a combined completion percentage of 60.0% and a collective rating of 60.4 over 35 targets.
Given all of his accomplishments on the field, Johnson last month freely expressed his desire for a large new contract.
According to Mark Grote of 670 The Score, Johnson stated on October 22 that “I’ve been wanting to get to the table.” “Knowing who I am.” I believe I should be compensated appropriately because I am capable of playing this game at a high level.
According to Over The Cap, Denzel Ward of the Cleveland Browns has the largest overall contract worth of any NFL cornerback at $100.5 million, while Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander has the highest average yearly salary at $21 million.
Bears Can Complicate Jaylon Johnson’s Free Agency with Franchise Tag
Over the summer, Johnson and the Bears were unable to come to a new contract agreement. Talks carried on throughout the season, but an agreement eluded them.
Eventually, the cornerback requested and got permission from the organisation to look for a trade. The Buffalo Bills and other teams showed a lot of interest in Johnson, but in the end, the Bears chose to hang onto him.
The decision to retain Johnson suggests that the Bears may sabotage Johnson’s free agency by using the franchise tag to keep him through 2024, especially considering Chicago’s problems this season (3-7). Under that kind of arrangement, the cornerback will receive about $20 million in compensation over the course of a single season; in contrast, he might receive almost that amount per year over the course of a four- or five-year contract.
The Bears only have to play the franchise tag, but even then, the conversation might not come to a conclusion. The team may either hold out for a multiyear deal with Johnson or make sure they have the chance to move him in the offseason in order to acquire additional picks.
