The Chicago Bears have granted cornerback Jaylon Johnson’s trade request, which comes after the two sides weren’t able to agree to a contract extension ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
Last week, Johnson said contract negotiations had picked back up after his impressive two-interception game. Unfortunately, it sounds like both sides weren’t able to find common ground, which led Johnson to request a trade late Monday night.
Someone who probably isn’t happy with how the Bears are handling things is safety Jaquan Brisker, who took to X (formerly Twitter) with a cryptic tweet that appeared to voice his displeasure with the Johnson situation.
Ayo 🤦🏽♂️
— Quanny B. (@JaquanBrisker) October 31, 2023
If the Bears trade Johnson before the 3 p.m. CT deadline, he’ll be the second defensive leader in as many years to be traded away. Chicago traded linebacker Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens last year, and the team didn’t win another game for the remainder of the season — heck, until Week 5 of the 2023 season.
General manager Ryan Poles is sending a message to the rest of the Bears locker room — and it’s not a positive one. Johnson has been one of the team’s best defensive players — and one of the best cover corners in the NFL this season — and Poles isn’t prepared to sign him long term.
With the trade deadline just hours away, we’ll soon know for sure whether Johnson will finish the season as a Bear or if he’s played his last down for Chicago.