CB Jaylon Johnson was almost traded by the Bears to an AFC contender.
Even though it seems like every option has been on the table, the Chicago Bears can’t seem to decide on cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
Since the previous summer, Johnson has been pressing for a new contract, but he and the Bears head staff have not been able to come to an agreement. Ahead of the NFL’s October 31 trade deadline, the two parties returned to the negotiation table in the later part of last month. As Johnson persuaded the organisation to pursue a trade after they were still unable to come to an agreement on a deal, general manager Ryan Poles gave in.
The fact that no trade happened puts Johnson’s future with Chicago in considerable jeopardy. On Wednesday, November 8, however, ESPN’s Dan Graziano said that the Bears and the Buffalo Bills were on the verge of an agreement.
“I’ve heard the Bills were in talks with the Bears on a potential trade for cornerback Jaylon Johnson at last week’s deadline, but those talks fell through and the Bills turned to Rasul Douglas,” wrote Graziano.
Johnson, Jaylon This season’s elite cornerbacks in the NFL
The Chicago Bears’ cornerback Jaylon Johnson is experiencing a breakthrough season.
In return for the Bills’ third-round pick in 2024, Green Bay handed up Douglas and what is likely to be an early fifth-round selection. That selection will probably be made close to the finish of the round.
That return, along with the fact that Chicago was unable to complete a trade that would have sent Johnson to Buffalo first, point to Poles’ intention to trade his star cornerback for a second-round NFL pick. Furthermore, it is difficult to contend that Johnson isn’t worth that kind of payout.
Johnson is ranked by Pro Football Focus as the second-best cornerback in the NFL through nine weeks, out of 114 players who have played enough snaps to be considered for the position. In 2023, Johnson has excelled at pass coverage, limiting opposition quarterbacks to a 54.8% completion rate and a 53.6 rating on 31 targets. According to Pro Football Reference, he has also collected two interceptions, given up just one touchdown, and scored a defensive touchdown of his own.
It’s now more likely that the Bears will franchise tag Jaylon Johnson, creating a holdon
Ryan Poles is the Chicago Bears general manager.
Given his 2023 performance, it is understandable why the Bears, who are still rebuilding the team, have not just extended Johnson’s contract.
The reason Johnson is having a career season during a contract year could be the reason why extending him is more difficult. According to Spotrac, his market value has surged to $17.5 million a year. Based on yearly average salary, Johnson would rank eighth among NFL cornerbacks after signing a deal of that magnitude in 2023.
Johnson, a 2020 second-round selection (number 50 overall), missed a total of 11 regular season games due to injuries during the first three seasons of his career. The CB had only ever recorded one interception in his career prior to 2023, and his annual pass breakup total decreased.
Johnson may still be in front of his best work at the age of 25. If so, this is his breakthrough campaign and a portent of future success. If not, the Bears need to be cautious not to overspend for Johnson’s 2023 season because it is an aberration. The puzzle has an answer, but it’s not one the cornerback will appreciate.
“And the Bears now preserve their franchise tag should they need to use it on CB Jaylon Johnson, who requested a trade last week,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote online on November 4. “And by reaching agreement on a contract extension with newly-acquired DE Montgomery Sweat.”
Sweat signed a four-year, $98 million contract extension with Chicago a few days after the Bears sold a second-round pick to the Washington Commanders in order to acquire him, and Johnson stated he did not regret it. However, the cornerback might not be able to clear his team so quickly, which might result in a holdout.
For Heavy.com, Max Dible covers the Golden State Warriors, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, and Cleveland Browns. Before joining Heavy, he worked as the news director for Pacific Media Group’s chain of Big Island radio stations as well as a reporter for West Hawaii Today, covering both local and state news. He also worked as the news director for BigIslandNow.com.
