The Chicago Bears are one win away from the NFC Championship Game, but they’re heading into the Divisional Round vs. the Los Angeles Rams with a major concern in their secondary.
Jaylon Johnson, the Bears’ No. 1 cornerback, revealed on Richard Sherman’s podcast that he’s still far from healthy and has been relying on pain management just to get through practices.
“I’m nowhere near close to my full self,” Johnson admitted. “I’ve been taking numbing shots and all these different things to just try to halfway be out there… just really fighting.”
For a team preparing to face Matthew Stafford and one of the most precise passing attacks in football, that’s not the update Bears fans wanted to hear.
A season that never fully got right
GettyBears CB Jaylon Johnson
Jaylon Johnson’s year has been a constant battle with his body. The Chicago Bears corner played in only seven games during the regular season and hasn’t looked like the All-Pro caliber shutdown corner who once led the league in passes defended and interceptions.
Statistically, this has been the worst stretch of his career:
- 72.7% completion rate allowed
- 11.6 yards per target
- 256 yards surrendered in limited action
- Opposing passer rating: 92.2
Even when he returned late in the year, Jaylon Johnson hasn’t been fully comfortable moving or planting, which is critical for a corner tasked with mirroring elite route runners.
And now he’s confirmed publicly what had been feared behind the scenes: He’s still grinding through real pain. “Every week is a fight… just continuing to strap up and give my team a chance to win.”
Why this is so concerning vs. the Rams
GettyBears CB Jaylon Johnson
Los Angeles thrives on timing, in-breaking routes, and layered concepts designed to stress corners laterally. I mean Matthew Stafford is the league’s MVP frontrunner for a reason. He diagnoses leverage quickly and punishes defenders who can’t drive downhill.
Jaylon Johnson even acknowledged how dangerous it is to let Stafford sit comfortably. “If you let Matthew Stafford sit back there and be comfortable, it’ll be a long day.”
That becomes a bigger problem with Jaylon playing with reduced mobility and managing pain via injections.
The Rams will test him relentlessly with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams working option routes and crossers. A compromised Jaylon Johnson could force DC Dennis Allen to provide extra safety help, which would open vulnerabilities elsewhere.
This is where Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen face a brutal playoff dilemma: Do you trust your best corner, even at less than full strength? Or do you protect him from being targeted and exposed by Stafford?
Chicago’s defense is built on turnovers and aggressive man coverage under Al Harris’ influence. That system demands corners who can break, close, and attack the football.
Jaylon Johnson’s mind is still elite and his leadership is undeniable. But his body clearly isn’t cooperating, and he just confirmed that publicly.
In playoff football, opponents don’t care about pedigree. They hunt weaknesses. And the Rams now know exactly where the Chicago Bears might have one.
Bears Get Worrying Jaylon Johnson Injury News During Playoff Week