Bears General Manager Ryan Poles The Chicago Bears could face a major shakeup in their secondary between now and the end of the season.
Chicago has been in contract negotiations with cornerback Jaylon Johnson since the offseason, but to no avail.
Legitimate trade talks swirled around Johnson before the NFL trade deadline, though none ultimately came to fruition.
Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon on Saturday, November 11, named Johnson among the handful of free agents most likely to change teams in 2024, adding that Johnson has a chance to play elsewhere better than any other name on the list.
“Just before the deadline, the Chicago Bears authorized Jaylon Johnson’s agent to explore a trade.
That didn’t happen, but it’s clearly not a positive sign for his future in Chicago,” Kenyon wrote.
“Out of all these big-name players, Johnson appears to be the candidate player most likely to sign with a free agent elsewhere.
is a need of every NFL team, Johnson should not lack suitors either.
Jaylon Johnson begins career season in contract year Jaylon Johnson Trade Pitch Bills Elam Getty Chicago Bears cornerback, Jaylon Johnson will be a free agent in 2024.
Johnson put the Bears in a tough spot by producing the best season of his career in a .
contract year Spotrac predicts market value Johnson’s school was $17.
5 million per year over a four-year period ($70 million total).
The former second-round pick is playing the final season of his four-year, $6.
5 million rookie contract.
Chicago has the projected cap space ($82.
4 million) in 2024 to make a deal at that price, but clearly has a different view of Johnson’s value than he does.
It’s hard to argue that Johnson doesn’t deserve a high salary based on his statistical output, both in statistics and advanced metrics.
According to Pro Football Reference, he held opposing quarterbacks to an overall completion rate of 60% and an overall rating of 60.
4 on 35 targets.
Johnson also collected 23 tackles, four assists, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a defensive touchdown in eight games played.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) currently ranks Johnson as the No.
6 cornerback in the NFL among 114 players who have played enough snaps to qualify for the position.
Johnson is ranked No.
2 in the rankings entering Week 10 and is subject to change again after each game ends.
Bears can keep Jaylon Johnson without signing him to a long-term extension Jaylon Johnson’s trade decision Getty Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
There is a third possible outcome besides Johnson leaving Chicago in free agency or the Bears signing a multi-year extension.
General Manager Ryan Poles traded the team’s second-round pick for the second straight year, this time to acquire defensive end Montez Sweat from the Washington Commanders.
Like Johnson, Sweat was also set to hit free agency next March, but the team signed him to a four-year, $98 million contract extension.
With this signing, the Bears ensure they will have the opportunity to apply the franchise tag to someone other than Sweat.
Johnson is the leading candidate for the job given his production level at the high post and his pending free agency.
Applying the tag to Johnson would allow Chicago to keep him on a one-year contract that would pay the quarterback the average of the top five NFL salaries at the position, putting him in the $20 million range dollars in 2024 Max Dible covers the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns and Golden State Warriors for Heavy.com.
He covered local and national news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director.