The Chicago Bears have been “gauging” interest in a potential Jaylon Johnson trade, according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, and there could be quite the return waiting for them if CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin is right about his value.
In a recent article, Benjamin proposed 15 hypothetical trades — along with projected compensation — that he believes could happen before the October 31 trade deadline. The analyst also identified an intriguing scenario with Johnson in which the Bears would move on from the 2020 second-rounder but also gain both a player and a pick.
Benjamin’s proposed Jaylon Johnson trade deal would see the Bears send their top cornerback to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a 2024 second-rounder (currently valued at No. 56) as well as second-year cornerback Kaiir Elam, the No. 23 pick in 2022.
“Elam was drafted No. 22 overall just a year ago, but he’s struggled to acclimate himself in Sean McDermott’s secondary, and with Tre’Davious White injured, Buffalo could use a proven cover man for its expected playoff run,” Benjamin wrote on October 16.
“Johnson is one of the Bears’ top assets, but he might be able to strike a lucrative long-term deal with an actual contender in this scenario.”
Kaiir Elam Could Offer High-Upside Project for Bears
Now, there is a good chance Benjamin is off the mark in terms of what he believes is appropriate compensation for Johnson, but let’s play out his scenario for the Bears.
The Bears would lose their top cornerback in the trade, but they would gain another young corner with first-round upside in Elam, who is under contract for at least the next three years — it four if they were to pick up his 2026 fifth-year option. There is no denying that Elam’s time in Buffalo has been rough, but a rebuilding franchise like the Bears could afford to be patient with him as they try to unlock his potential.
The real hook, though, is the second-round pick. Realistically, the Bears would be lucky to get a second-rounder alone in exchange for Johnson. He is a good cornerback who can shadow No. 1 receivers, but he gets underappreciated due to his lack of takeaways and has also battled a few injuries over the past 12 months. Interested teams might also rather wait to see if he hits free agency in 2024 and add him if the Bears let him walk.
In other words, if a team calls the Bears and offers both a second-round pick and a project player for Johnson, it is hard to imagine that Ryan Poles would not take it.
Does Extension for Johnson Better Serve Bears’ Future?
At the same time, Johnson could still rather easily fit into the Bears’ long-term plans. Despite his lack of splash plays and recent injury concerns, he is a reliable cover man when he is on the field for their secondary, and that is not an easy thing to find. The Bears might still find that giving him an extension is still in their best interests.
Johnson’s lack of splash plays — one interception in 43 career games — might even work to the Bears’ advantage when it comes to negotiations. They might agree with Johnson that the tape shows he can reliably play the position even without generating picks, but the market might not, which could potentially drive down his price on a long-term deal.
Doubt about the Bears extending Johnson starts to creep in, though, when looking at how they have invested in the cornerback position over the past two offseason. They used a top-40 pick — the first pick of Ryan Poles’ tenure as general manager — to add Kyler Gordon in 2022. Then, they traded up for Tyrique Stevenson at No. 56 in 2023 and double-dipped at the position later on with Terell Smith in the fifth round.
While none of their three drafted corners have shown clear makings of being a No. 1, the Bears’ front office might be comfortable moving away from a previous regime player to allow their guys that opportunity to fly, even if it ultimately backfires on them.
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Jaylon Johnson Trade Pitch Lands Bears 1st-Round CB & Day 2 Pick