Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson is determined to get the money he deserves as he reaches the end of his contract, but he badly wants that deal to come from the team. He said Wednesday if general manager Ryan Poles made him a satisfactory offer in the next three months, he’d have no desire to test the market in free agency.
“I want to stay here,” he said. “I definitely want to get something done [here] first, but if something doesn’t get done, I’m not opposed to any other options. I would love to stay here.”
With free agency looming, negotiations between Johnson and Poles have been rocky. Johnson stayed patient, saying in the offseason he wouldn’t consider holding out, until talks reached such a low point in October that he demanded a trade and got permission from Poles to talk to other teams.
It was hectic at the trade deadline, but nothing materialized. The next day, Poles insisted, “I don’t want to lose Jaylon Johnson.”
Since then, Johnson certainly has driven up his price.
He has a career-high four interceptions, tied for fourth in the NFL and tied with linebacker Tremaine Edmunds for the team lead, and Pro Football Focus currently rates him as the No. 1 cornerback in the league. ESPN Analytics calculated that he has prevented more yards by opponents than any outside corner. He has allowed completions on just 54.5% of passes he has faced and quarterbacks throwing at him have a 49.7 passer rating, according to Pro Football Reference.
“I definitely added some money... I’ve done that,” he said, smiling.
And even after all his frustration with negotiations, he wants that money to come from the Bears.
“Couldn’t see myself anywhere else,” he said. “It’s easy to say you want out of somewhere until you get it and then it’s like, ‘Ah, this may not be quite what I want.’
“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 it better, and [shoot], I want to win some games and get to the playoffs and make a push with the Chicago name, too.”
If the Bears don’t reach a deal with Johnson, they can secure him for next season by using the franchise tag ($18.4 million, per Over The Cap’s projection) or transition tag ($15.9 million) for a one-year contract. They have no other obvious candidate for either tag.
