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The Chicago Bears have plenty of hype surrounding them coming into the first week of the 2024 NFL season, but All-Pro cornerback and newly-anointed team captain Jaylon Johnson has no interest in buying into it ahead of Week 1.
Johnson spoke with reporters following September 2’s practice about the team’s season opener against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1 and, according to 670 The Score’s Mark Grote, had a “mic-drop moment” when asked about the high expectations for the team.
“I’m done buying into the hype,” Johnson said Monday. “Everything that we got in this locker room, it sounds good, it seems good. I mean, I’ve seen it. But at the end of the day, none of that matters. What matters is what we’re going to do this weekend and from every Sunday or Monday [onward], whatever game it is. That’s when it matters.”
Johnson is coming off a career-best season for the Bears in 2023 in which he recorded four interceptions and 10 pass deflections while allowing just 195 total yards and a 31.0 passer rating when targetted in coverage. The 25-year-old also finished as Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded cornerback (90.1) in the NFL and earned postseason recognition for the first time in his career as both a second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler.
While the Bears initially placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Johnson in March, they signed him to a four-year, $76 million contract extension just two days later that ties him to the team as one of its defensive centerpieces through the 2027 season.
The Bears will host the Titans at Soldier Field at 1 p.m. Eastern Time on September 8.
Jaylon Johnson Named Bears Captain for 2024 Season
Johnson’s reluctance to buy into the hype surrounding the Bears should serve him well in his fifth NFL season. It is also a good quality to have in a leader, which Johnson now formally is after his teammates voted him one of their 2024 captains on September 2.
“Honestly, it’s big,” Johnson said of the Bears naming him a captain. “I was surprised. I got a text [from cornerbacks coach Jon Hoke] and I didn’t even believe it, honestly. But it’s just one of those things where I continued to be myself. Nothing changes. … Just continue to work, continue to lead by example. I feel like that’s the biggest thing.
“The goals and the things I want to do don’t change because of that, but [I’m] definitely honored to have the ‘C’ on my chest.”
The Bears also announced their other seven captains for the 2024 season on Monday: Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, wide receiver D.J. Moore, tight ends Cole Kmet and Marcedes Lewis, linebackers T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds and free safety Kevin Byard III — who is the only non-rookie addition to receive a leadership nod.
Bears Secondary Could Be Strength During 2024 Season
While much of the external buzz about the Bears is centered around Williams and their improved offense, their secondary could be one of their biggest strengths in 2024.
Johnson returns as the Bears’ No. 1 cornerback, but the other pieces around him are also impressive. Tyrique Stevenson — a 2023 second-round pick — is coming off an outstanding rookie season starting opposite Johnson on the boundary, matching his four interceptions and finishing with a team-high 16 pass deflections in 16 total games.
The Bears also have a rising star in Kyler Gordon, who broke out in 2023 and allowed the fourth-lowest passer rating (83.6) from the slot in the league, according to PFF.
Additionally, the Bears made some improvements to their deep field during the 2024 offseason. They swapped out Eddie Jackson — who struggled in 2023 — for the ball-hawking Byard as their starting free safety, signing him to a two-year, $15 million deal. They also picked up Jonathan Owens as their new No. 3 safety in free agency, adding depth to a position that sorely lacked experience throughout the previous campaign.
The Bears are still taking some risks. Three of their five starters in the secondary have two or fewer years of NFL experience. Byard also struggled in the second half of the 2023 season after Tennessee traded him to Philadelphia at the NFL trade deadline. If their bets pay off, though, they could finish with a top-five secondary in 2024.
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