Ryan Poles: Jaylon Johnson’s not going anywhere
Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles is approaching his third offseason, and like the previous two, he has some major decisions to make. There’s the obvious decision with the No. 1 overall pick and the possibility of selling Justin Fields, but there’s another important one in the form of Jaylon Johnson’s future prospects.
According to Ryan Poles “In the process of getting Jaylen Johnson done, conversations are going well at this time,” Poles told reporters at the 2024 NFL Combine. “We feel like we’ve done a really good job kind of coming to the table strong, [and] showing the respect that he’s due just in terms of his production to his career. [We] really put an emphasis on the turnovers that he created this past year. Our expectation is that’s going to continue to go as he’s with the Bears.”
“I’d like to avoid the franchise tag for him,” said Ryan Poles. “I think there’s a really good space for us to find a middle ground. Again, we always have the tag to use, but I really would like to get something long-term.”
#Bears GM Ryan Poles says team is “coming strong” with a contract offer for CB Jaylon Johnson. He sounds optimistic about negotiations.
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) February 27, 2024
Having completed his rookie contract, the Bears’ 2020 NFL Draft second-round pick had a truly outstanding season at the best of times. Johnson finished the season with an overall PFF grade of 90.8, the highest in the league. Johnson, who has long been recognized as a coverage expert, had the highest coverage grade in the NFL at 91.0.
The first-time Pro Bowler believes his play demonstrated that he is one of the NFL’s finest corners, which is why he wants to be compensated as such.
Jaylon Johnson had 36 tackles, 10 pass breakups, forced a fumble, and four interceptions, one of which was a pick-six. His interception total was four times his career high from the previous three seasons, when he had only made one pick. Johnson was expected to produce turnovers, and he believes he has proven himself to be a full package at cornerback.
The Bears certainly want to sign a contract quickly. Johnson, 24, has developed as one of the league’s best players, and Chicago believes in him. The fans are also hopeful Johnson stays with the team. Jaylon Johnson has already stated that he would like to stay in Chicago.
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