Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson has reportedly requested a trade out of Chicago ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Johnson and the Bears had reportedly been negotiating a new contract, but those talks never led to anything substantial, prompting the organization to grant permission to the 24-year-old to seek out a trade.
The NFL trade deadline is at 4:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Oct. 31, so any trade for Johnson would need to materialize quickly.
GM Ryan Poles spoke on the potential contract extension for Johnson earlier this month.
“We’re in a phase where we want to retain homegrown talent,” said Poles before Chicago’s Week 7 win over the Raiders, via NBC Sports Chicago. “That’s important. But again, it takes two sides to make something happen, so we’ll see if that works out.”
Johnson has featured in six games for Chicago this season, recording a career-high two interceptions- including one for a touchdown- and four pass defenses. He’s started 45 games for the Bears since the organization drafted him in the second round in 2020 out of Utah.
The cornerback is in the final year of his rookie contract and is set to hit free agency this offseason. With a new contract seeming unlikely, Johnson may have a new home to finish out the 2023 NFL season.
