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Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson has been a cornerstone on defense since he was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. He signed a well-deserved four-year, $76 million deal back in March 2024 that has since aged like fine wine (although it sounds like he might want another extension soon).
Last season, Johnson once again proved that he’s one of the most important players on this Bears roster — and one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks. Johnson had his second consecutive Pro Bowl season, where he forced three turnovers and recorded a career-high in tackles (53) and tackles for loss (7) while teams elected to steer clear of him when they could.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler polled NFL executives, coaches and scouts to rank the best players at each position. While Johnson made the top 10, his position at No. 8 feels too low. Although, he was ranked in the same position at this point last year. This time, Johnson’s highest ranking was No. 4 and his lowest ranking was unranked.
Johnson was one of the most consistent corners over the past two years with a combined six interceptions and 18 pass deflections. His ball production dipped slightly in 2024, but he was more disruptive around the line of scrimmage with seven tackles for loss.
“Really good zone awareness. Sticky,” an NFL coordinator said. “Versatile skill set.”
Fowler noted that even though the Bears were a mess last season, which affected cornerback play, Johnson still had a productive season and figures to benefit from new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme.
On 53 targets, Johnson allowed 32 receptions for 448 yards and two touchdowns with a 15.1% ball-hawking rate. In 2023, that rate was better at 17.5%, during which he gave up 162 less yards (286 total). It is worth noting that the Bears, as a team, were a mess last season, which can affect corner play.
Johnson frequently played Cover 2 under former Bears coach Matt Eberflus, 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.”
With new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, Johnson has the potential to be even more impactful in man coverage, especially if the pass rush improves. Johnson will once again be key in the defense’s success this season, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him finally crack the top five on this list next year.
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