Bears Secure All-Pro Defensive Starter on $20 Million Deal

The Chicago Bears have made a major decision that will shore up the defensive side of the football or result in a massive draft haul.

General manager Ryan Poles utilized the non-exclusive franchise tag on cornerback Jaylon Johnson on Tuesday, March 5.

“It’s a non-exclusive franchise tag for Jaylon Johnson, per source,” ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reported. “Other teams can negotiate, but the Bears have the right to match any offer. If they don’t, they would get two first-round picks. Ryan Poles spoke confidently about where negotiations were at between the Bears and their top CB last week. Chicago now has time on its side to work out the long-term deal Poles said he’s hoping for.”

If Johnson plays out the 2024 campaign on the franchise tag, he will earn $19.8 million for the season.

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Bears Tag Jaylon Johnson Days After Ryan Poles Said He Wanted to Avoid Doing So

Poles spoke to media members on February 27 at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis and said he hoped to keep the tag off Johnson, who has been clear about his desire for a multiyear deal that pays him as the league’s best defensive back.

“I’d like to avoid the franchise tag for him,” Poles said, according to Larry Mayer of Bears.com. “I think there is really good space for us to find the middle ground. Again, we always have the tag to use, but I really would like to get something done long term.”

The GM touted the team’s offers to Johnson to that point in time, but also implied that compromise needed to exist on both sides.

“We feel like we’ve done a really good job coming to the table strong and showing the respect that he’s due just in terms of his production through his career and really an emphasis on the turnovers he created this past year,” Poles continued. “When I say, ‘come strong’ that means cash flows are strong, guarantees are strong, the term is strong for him. … It takes two to tango and you’ve got to find a place that everyone feels comfortable with.”

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Jaylon Johnson Was Top CB in NFL Last Season, Wants to Be Paid That Way

Clearly Chicago didn’t come strong enough, as the team was unable to lock Johnson in to a long-term extension.

Based on the current CB salaries across the NFL, Johnson would need more than $21 million per season and at least $101 million total, making a five-year contract worth $105 million total the easiest way to reset the market at the position. The defensive back said in January that was what he expected.

“I don’t think it’s too much really to talk about,” Johnson said. “There’s no reason I can’t be the highest-paid corner in the league.”

Johnson finished the 2023 season with 10 pass breakups, 4 interceptions and a defensive TD, leading to his first Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors. He afforded opposing QBs a collective completion percentage of 55.2% and a collective passer rating of 50.9 across 58 total targets, per Pro Football Reference.

According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson was the top cornerback in football last season. Based on that website’s count, Johnson gave up just 25 catches on 50 targets over 530 total coverage snaps and allowed a collective passer rating allowed of 33.3.

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