Jaylon Johnson wants a new contract
Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson has one year remaining on his rookie contract. The Bears’ 2020 second-round pick has had a lot thrown on his plate since he came to Chicago. He’s been asked to be the team’s number-one corner since the 2021 season when he was in just his second year. Johnson has had mixed results with that assignment. But he still seems eager to stay in Chicago.
Johnson was seen answering questions on a video released by CHGO Bears Twitter account. Johnson said that he’d love to stay with the Bears. He added that he understands the NFL is a business, and the numbers must align to keep him in Chicago. Then Johnson dropped a big piece of information for the offseason.
Johnson was asked if the contract negotiations had started for his next contract.
“Yeah. For sure, for sure. There’s definitely conversations,” Johnson said. He added that he hoped for a deal before next season.
“That’s always the goal to try to restructure after three years, and I feel like I have a good enough body of work for that to be a negotiation,” Jaylon Johnson said. “I feel like at the end of the day, if the number’s right, the number’s right.”
“There’s definitely conversations.”
Contract talks with the #Bears have already begun, according to Jaylon Johnson. He told the @CHGO_Sports crew he hopes to have an extension done before next season. pic.twitter.com/4MqWj8CEMB
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) February 8, 2023
Johnson’s performance in the new defense
Jaylon Johnson had an up-and-down year in head coach Matt Eberflus’ new defensive system. Johnson started hot against the San Francisco 49ers. But he dropped an egg against the Detroit Lions in Week 10 when he made Jared Goff look like an All-Pro quarterback in the Lions’ comeback victory. (Johnson was fighting through an injury, but that was no excuse to Eberflus.) The defensive line didn’t help his or the secondary’s cause this season.
Pro Football Focus rated Johnson 62.9 overall for his 11-game season that was shortened by multiple injuries. That was his second-best season, as he was rated 64.2 in 2021 and 54.9 for his rookie season in 2020.
I’d love to see Jaylon Johnson stay with the Bears. He’s the Darnell Mooney of cornerbacks, while Johnson’s a hard-working athlete with a chip on his shoulder; he’ll never be the number one guy. For the Bears’ defense to be a contender, they need to spend money on a true number-one cornerback.
Johnson is a few turns short of being a lockdown defender. He’s never been nominated to the Pro Bowl. But if he’s willing to take number two corner money, the Bears should ink him before next season.
REPORT: A top free agent target for the Bears might not be available
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