When we started the Cash, Stash, or Slash exercise, I'll be honest, I wasn't really thinking about including Jaylon Johnson. Johnson is only under contract for two years, so he would be an extension candidate after this season, but with the injuries and the change in defense, I felt better to leave Jaylon be and see how this season plays out for him.
But when Jaylon Johnson met the media at the beginning of training camp, he feels that this season is a contract year for him and that he needs to show the Chicago Bears who he is as a player in 2026, that 2025 isn't the player he is, and that he should receive a fresh contract that keeps him in Chicago for a few more years.
So if Jaylon Johnson thinks it's a contract year, who are we to argue?
I don't see how it's at all possible to try and make any determination as to what the future holds for Johnson. First of all, you have to be concerned about injuries for Johnson. Let's not forget that Johnson was a first-round talent that fell to the Bears in round 2 because of injury concerns. And while Johnson did play in all but 3 games in 2023 and 2024 combined, in his other 4 NFL seasons, he's missed a combined 21 games. A player that has missed a season and a half worth of games in six seasons is something to be concerned about when you are offering up a contract extension to a player who will be 28 in 2027.
You also have to look at performance. And I think most of us believe that the drop-off in Johnson's play last year was 95% related to injuries and that, when he's healthy, he would be much closer to the player he was in 2023 and 2024 than the player he was in 2025. But if Johnson's play recovers slightly, but he's still far from the player he was, his contract is fairly forgiving if the Bears want to get out of it one year early.
#johnson #jaylon
But when Jaylon Johnson met the media at the beginning of training camp, he feels that this season is a contract year for him and that he needs to show the Chicago Bears who he is as a player in 2026, that 2025 isn't the player he is, and that he should receive a fresh contract that keeps him in Chicago for a few more years.
So if Jaylon Johnson thinks it's a contract year, who are we to argue?
I don't see how it's at all possible to try and make any determination as to what the future holds for Johnson. First of all, you have to be concerned about injuries for Johnson. Let's not forget that Johnson was a first-round talent that fell to the Bears in round 2 because of injury concerns. And while Johnson did play in all but 3 games in 2023 and 2024 combined, in his other 4 NFL seasons, he's missed a combined 21 games. A player that has missed a season and a half worth of games in six seasons is something to be concerned about when you are offering up a contract extension to a player who will be 28 in 2027.
You also have to look at performance. And I think most of us believe that the drop-off in Johnson's play last year was 95% related to injuries and that, when he's healthy, he would be much closer to the player he was in 2023 and 2024 than the player he was in 2025. But if Johnson's play recovers slightly, but he's still far from the player he was, his contract is fairly forgiving if the Bears want to get out of it one year early.
#johnson #jaylon
2 months ago
