Getty Cornerback Jaylon Johnson of the Chicago Bears.
Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson is a realist and doesn’t avoid the truth, even if it’s a little unpleasant.
Johnson appeared on 670 the Score’s Parkins & Spiegel Show on Monday, October 16. The hosts asked the Bears’ top CB about the chances he will be traded at some point over the next two weeks, as the team considers its options following a disappointing 1-5 start.
“I’m not oblivious. I’m not blind, and I’m not exempt at the end of the day,” Johnson answered. “When you trade Roquan [Smith] away, when you trade Robert Quinn away, man, you can trade anybody away. So, I mean, I’m definitely not exempt.”
Jaylon Johnson Announced Desire to Remain with Bears Long-Term
GettyChicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
Johnson acknowledged the Bears could put him on the trade block, but the cornerback was clear about his preferences.
“I know what’s going on. … At the end of the day, the Bears got to do what’s best for them and I got to do what’s best for me,” Johnson continued. “Whatever happens with that happens. I’m not forcing anything. Like I’ve been saying from day one, I want to stay here. This is my first team, my home, I bought a house here, everything. All my plans were to stay in Chicago.”
A second-round pick out of Utah in 2020, Johnson is playing the final season of his four-year, $6.5 million rookie contract. Based on his performance, Spotrac projects Johnson’s market value at $7.7 million annually over a new three-year deal.
That number won’t put Chicago in the poor house. The Bears are projected to have nearly $96 million in salary cap space in 2024. Johnson’s projected market value is also affordable relative to other No. 1 cornerbacks around the NFL.
For example, Denzel Ward of the Cleveland Browns owns the cornerback contract with the highest total amount owed of $101.5 million and the highest fully-guaranteed figure of $44.5 million, per Over The Cap. Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers makes the most money per year at $21 million annually.
Jaylon Johnson Trade Won’t Be About Money, Performance for Bears
GettyChicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
If Chicago decides to deal Johnson, it won’t be because his future cost is too high or because his performance has been subpar.
As noted, the Bears can easily budget for the money Johnson is likely to command. Beyond that, Pro Football Focus ranks Johnson 10th out of 112 players who have seen enough snaps to qualify at the position. Securing the 24-year-old at any number under $10 million annually would be a boon for the Bears’ long-term prospects.
The reason Chicago might consider dealing Johnson is two-fold. The first element of the logic is that the Bears are going nowhere this year. The team is 1-5 and quarterback Justin Fields is sidelined for an unknown amount of time with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. Johnson is a good player and could return a meaningful draft pick from a contender looking to win now.
Beyond that, Chicago currently owns the top two selections in the 2024 NFL Draft. More losing means a higher chance of holding onto those incredibly valuable picks. Johnson’s absence in the secondary renders the team more prone to falling short in competitive contests.
The second element to the logic of trading Johnson is that the Bears drafted two young cornerbacks in 2023 who can potentially fill in for him. If second-rounder Tyrique Stevenson and fifth-rounder Terell Smith can develop over the remainder of this year and next offseason, Chicago can feasibly get the same kind of CB play they would expect from Johnson but at a lower cost.