It felt like the message was pretty clear in October. Jaylon Johnson wanted out. He requested a trade elsewhere before the deadline. When nothing materialized, the cornerback chose to break off contract negotiations for the rest of the season. It was a clear message that he preferred not to stay with the Chicago Bears. They weren’t making the financial offers he felt he deserved, and the team wasn’t winning. This is nothing new. Players have acted this way in the past.
Johnson maintained that he’d like to stay whenever asked, but it never felt like a genuine answer. It was more the standard response to avoid any controversies. Alshon Jeffery did the same thing right before he jumped ship for Philadelphia in 2017. However, something appears to have shifted. Johnson doesn’t fear going elsewhere if the Bears wish to move on, but the idea of returning sounds way more appealing now than it did two months ago. So what changed? Mainly his opinion of the roster GM Ryan Poles is putting together.
“I just couldn’t see myself anywhere else. It’s easy to say, oh, you want out of somewhere until you get it and then it’s like, ‘Ah, this may not be quite what I want.’ But I would say for me, I want to stay here and I want to not make that transition now. I feel like we’re building something special, too, especially with the guys in the locker room. I don’t think it’s something I can get anywhere else. I would like to stay and continue to build and make this better.”
Jaylon Johnson recognizes the pieces falling into place.
The Bears already have a defense that has rapidly transformed into one of the NFL’s best. After the arrival of Montez Sweat via trade from Washington, they have allowed more than 20 points in a game only twice. They’ve forced 14 turnovers in that span, and boast the #1 run defense in league. Guys like T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds, Gervon Dexter, and Tyrique Stevenson have all stepped up in a big way. They’ve made life easier for Johnson, who has two interceptions and six passes defended in his last five games.
He can sense what Poles is putting together. With a few more pieces on offense and perhaps a coaching change, this team will be ready to win in 2024. Jaylon Johnson doesn’t want to be the guy who jumps ship right as the Bears get good. It comes down to what happens with his contract. Poles has reiterated many times that he wants to keep homegrown players. He loves Johnson and hopes to work something out. The Bears do have the franchise tag if necessary, but it now sounds like both sides are keen on getting an extension done after the season ends.
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