Windy City Gridiron
As we continue our list of the ten Chicago Bears with the most to prove in 2026, we’ve reached a fan favorite at number six. So far, we’ve seen Tory Taylor, Braxton Jones, Rome Odunze, and TJ Edwards make the list.
At number six? It’s Jaylon Johnson.
From 2019 to 2024, the Bears didn’t have many positives on the football field. But one positive they did have was Jaylon Johnson. Johnson joined the Bears in 2020 and immediately started as a rookie. During his time here, he’s had Chuck Pagano, Sean Desai, Alan Williams, Matt Eberflus (technically), Eric Washington, and Dennis Allen as defensive coordinators. That’s absurd that his coaching staff has been overturned as often as it has.
Despite Johnson basically having a new defensive coordinator every year, his play has been consistent. Johnson has reached two Pro Bowls and was second-team All-Pro in 2023. Johnson earned himself a second contract with the Bears due to his stellar play.
Johnson enters 2026 with two years remaining on his contract. In 2027, Johnson’s cap number is $25 million. The Bears could save $16 million if they choose to move on from him. The Bears could also negotiate a contract extension with Johnson after this season and extend him and lower his cap hit for the 2027 season.
Based on Johnson’s play before 2025, an extension would be a no-brainer. But unfortunately for Johnson, 2025 was a struggle. Johnson missed 10 games due to injury, and when he was on the field, he looked nowhere close to the player he had been previously.
Johnson allowed a career-worst 73% completion percentage when targeted. QBs also gained 11.6 yards per target at Johnson, which was also a career-worst. Not only was that a career-worst, but it was a career-worst by 2.5 yards per attempt.
Most Bears fans would tell you that this story is not complicated. Johnson tried to play through injuries, and his play struggled because of it. That very well could be the reasoning behind the slip in Johnson’s play. If Johnson is healthy in 2026 and returns to the player he has been, the Bears would almost certainly give Johnson some sort of extension and keep him a part of the secondary moving forward.
But, and of course, there is a but, there is always a but when we are discussing the 10 players with the most to prove. But if Johnson doesn’t return to form, the Bears are going to have some tough discussions about Jaylon’s future in Chicago.
As we mentioned previously, the Bears have a pretty easy out on Johnson’s contract after this season. That would probably be something the Bears would like to avoid because there are plenty of questions right now facing the Bears outside corners, and releasing the one consistent player you’ve had back there over the last half a decade may seem counterintuitive.
But who will Jaylon Johnson be in 2026? As we said, if he’s the player he’s been in the past,...
