On Friday night, the Chicago Bears used their two second-round picks on tight end Cole Kmet and cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Chicago took Johnson 50th overall with both analysts and fans in agreement that the team got a steal. The Utah cornerback has the chance to start opening day and could benefit from the team’s upgraded pass rush.
Johnson should replace former cornerback Prince Amukamara as the team’s second corner across from Kyle Fuller. He will be apart of a Bears’ defense that will have revamped pass rush with the addition of outside linebacker and Pro-Bowler Robert Quinn. Quinn will team with All-Pro linebacker Khalil Mack and Pro-Bowl defensive end Akiem Hicks. The addition provides a much-needed third pass rusher that the team has lacked to take advantage of the attention paid to both Hicks and Mack.
The main difference between the team’s defense in 2018 and 2019 was their sack and turnover totals. In 2018, the Bears defense forced 27 interceptions and recorded 50 sacks which both were number one in the league. In 2019 both those totals drastically dropped as they had 32 sacks and 10 interceptions. The drop in numbers were due in part to Hicks missing the majority of the season due to an elbow injury and Chicago not having a second consistent pass rush to team with Mack.
Fuller and safety Eddie Jackson both combined for 13 interceptions in 2018 and just five in 2019. One of the main reasons for the drops was a lack of a pass rush to cause opposing quarterbacks to hurry their throws. With a teaming of Hicks, Quinn, and Mack, the team could see a return in sacks and forced throws in 2020.
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Quinn has recorded double-digit sacks in four of his nine seasons in the league. He replaces Leonard Floyd, who originally expected to be the main beneficiary and pass-rusher to have an increased sack total working on the other side of Mack. Floyd produced just seven sacks in the last two seasons. In 2019, he recorded just three sacks, with two coming in the season-opener against the Packers.
That’s where Johnson comes in as the Utah cornerback is similar to Fuller as they both are press cornerbacks. According to NFL.com’s Draft Profile, the second round cornerback strengths include good recognition of route combinations and an ability to jump routes. Johnson’s cover skills were highly respected as he only allowed three touchdowns during his college career.
With teams potentially being fearful of throwing in the direction of either Fuller or Jackson, Johnson could be targeted early and often at the start of the 2020 season. If Chicago’s pass rush can get home as they did in 2018, the rookie cornerback could see an increase in interception opportunities. During his time at Utah, Johnson recorded seven interceptions in three seasons.
Chicago moved on from Amukamara because of his inability to create interceptions. In two of his three seasons with Chicago, he failed to record an interception. Johnson will be targeted, but his promising potential could lead to him succeeding where Amukamara disappointed. With a veteran defense in place, Chicago’s newest cornerback could be a huge difference-maker in 2020.
