Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson is entering the 2025 season coming off of back-to-back Pro Bowl nominations. He is beginning to get recognition from the NFL at large. But Johnson still has some work to do if he wants to be consider the league’s best cornerback.
He has certainly set some lofty goals from himself, such as recording seven interceptions and being named an All-Pro. Furthermore, new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen understands the type of talent Johnson is. Their secondary will continue to be built around him, as the cornerback will be tasked with shutting down opposing team’s top wide receiver.
As training camp is set to kick off, NFL executives, coaches and scouts ranked Johnson as the No. 8 cornerback in the league, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Another standout season should only boost him up the rankings.
“Really good zone awareness. Sticky,” an NFL coordinator said. “Versatile skill set.”
That coordinator went on to emphasize how Johnson playing in Allen’s scheme will only benefit him.
“Johnson frequently played Cover 2 under former Bears coach Matt Eberflus” Fowler wrote, but he should get more man-coverage opportunities under defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.”
“I think it will be good for him,” the coordinator said. “He’s got good feet, gets handsy at times, but he has enough awareness at this point in career that he can make a new scheme work.”
Chicago Bears have top 10 cornerback in Jaylon Johnson
The Bears originally selected Johnson with the No. 50 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He made an immediate impact, a recording a career-high 15 pass break ups while starting 13 games. He would record his first interception a year later, to go alongside nine pass break ups. And while injuries limited him to just 11 games in 2022, he still managed to make seven pass break ups while both forcing and recovering a fumble.
Once the 2023 season came around however, Johnson turned into an entirely different beast. He registered a career-high four interceptions, taking one to the house and 10 pass break ups. Johnson earned his first Pro Bowl nomination, which is matched in 2024. The cornerback made a career-high 53 tackles alongside eight passes defended and two interceptions. His 76.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus ranked 19/222 cornerbacks.
While general manager Ryan Poles wasn’t in Chicago when Johnson was drafted, he clearly liked what he saw. The Bears awarded the cornerback a $76 million contract extension in 2024. He’ll now be a key figure in the Windy City for the foreseeable future.
With Allen moving to an aggressive man scheme, Johnson will have more opportunities to lock up with the NFL’s best. If he remains a shutdown corner, there will be no questions about his standing in the league.
Cornerbacks above Johnson
It’s no surprise that Denver Broncos star Patrick Surtain II comes in at No. 1. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is undoubtedly the best cornerback in the league when healthy. Johnson will be striving to match Surtain’s ability to create turnovers and lockdown the top receivers.
Next comes Houston Texas defensive back Derek Stingley Jr, who led all outside cornerbacks with a minimum of 30 targets by allowing just 4.9 yards per target. He is followed by Denzel Ward of the Cleveland Browns. While the Browns might be in a rocky position right now, Ward has shined, leading the league with 19 pass break ups in 2024.
Next comes Trent McDuffie of the Kansas City Chiefs, who moved to the outside in 2024. His versatility is what landed him at No. 4. He is followed by new $120 million man Sauce Gardner. The cornerback is coming off of a bit of a down season, but the New York Jets gave him the back for a reason.
The two spots directly above Johnson belong to a pair of up and coming cornerbacks in Jaycee Horn of the Carolina Panthers and Christian Gonzalez of the New England Patriots. Both put together breakout 2024 campaigns and are looking to prove they can be dominant cornerbacks consistently.
Johnson will have his work cut out for him as the Bears try to get back on track. But for as much chaos surrounding Chicago in recent history, there have been no complaints about their CB1.
Chicago Bears officially sign pair of second-round picks
Read MoreFor More Great Chicago Sports Content
Get the latest Chicago sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox, Sky, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Chicago teams.
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
