Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson made a statement with his impressive outing against the Raiders: He’s ready to be paid.
Johnson is in the final year of his rookie contract, and he’s made it clear that he wants to sign a long-term extension with Chicago. And it sounds like he could be close to just that.
Johnson appeared on 670 the Score’s Parkins & Spiegel Show on Monday, where he was asked if he and the team are currently engulfed in negotiations for a new deal.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s a process,” Johnson said. “But things are, I would say, hopefully starting to ramp up. We’ll see where things go, especially in this next week before the trade deadline.”
Are Johnson’s representatives and the Bears talking?
“Yeah.”
#Bears CB Jaylon Johnson just told @ParkinsSpiegel that his representatives are working with the Bears on a potential contract extension.
— Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) October 23, 2023
Johnson had a strong performance in Sunday’s win against the Raiders, where he totaled three tackles, two pass breakups and two interceptions, including one for a touchdown.
Following the game, Johnson made it clear that he wants to sign an extension with Chicago — and he believes he deserves to get a big pay day.
“I’ve been wanting to get to the table,” Johnson said, via Mark Grote. “I know who I am. I know I can play this game at a high level, and I feel like I deserve to get paid like that.”
With the NFL trade deadline fast approaching, there’s been speculation that Johnson could be a popular target. Johnson has been one of the NFL’s most underrated cornerbacks. While he hasn’t had the interception numbers, he’s been stout in coverage and teams opt to steer clear of him.
If anything, Johnson has proven himself to be a cornerstone on this Bears defense, and general manager Ryan Poles would be silly to consider trading him.