If he hits the open market, CB Jaylon Johnson will be one of free agency’s hottest names. Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles doesn’t think that’s going to happen. Speaking to reporters at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, Poles says the team is making strong offers to retain him.
“In the process of getting Jaylon Johnson done,” Poles said via the Bears’ YouTube channel. “Conversations are going well at this time. We feel we’ve done a really good job coming to the table strong. Showing him the respect that he’s due. Just in terms of his production in his career and really an emphasis on the turnovers he created this past year. Our expectation is that’s going to continue to go as he’s with the Bears.
“When I say coming strong, that means cash flows are strong, guarantees are strong, the term is strong for him. With his age, there’s a really good opportunity for him to go back to the market again.”
Johnson has turned into one of football’s top corners and would be one of the best free agents available. Breaking out in 2023, he picked off four passes after intercepting just one pass his first three years in the league. His strong season earned him his first Pro Bowl berth and he made second-team All-Pro. A long-term deal will make Johnson among the highest paid cornerbacks in football.
Chicago considered trading Johnson ahead of this past year’s trade deadline and the Steelers were reportedly one of the interested teams. But no trade materialized and Johnson played out the final year of his rookie deal.
Of course, if the Bears can’t work out a long-term deal, the franchise tag remains an option, especially after the team locked up DE Montez Sweat after acquiring him from Washington. That move freed up the team’s ability to use the tag, though Poles said his hope is not to use it.
“I’d like to avoid the franchise tag for him…you always have the tag to use. But I would really like to get something done long-term.”
Previously, Poles said Johnson “is not going to go anywhere,” implying they’ll use the tag if needed. The deadline to tag a player is March 5, about one week before the start of the new league year.
It is uncertain if the  top two potential cornerbacks on the market make it to unrestricted free agency. In addition to Jaylon Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs CB L’Jarius Sneed is in a similar situation. It seems Sneed has a better chance to become a free agent as the Chiefs deal with DT Chris Jones, who is looking for a long-term deal with the team potentially needing to use the franchise tag to buy negotiation time.
