Tag: bears contracts

Bears sign CB Jaylon Johnson to 4-year contract extension

The Bears have locked down Jaylon Johnson to a long-term deal keeping the Pro Bowl cornerback in Chicago.

The Chicago Bears have signed cornerback Jaylon Johnson to a mega contract extension that makes him one of the highest paid players at his position. Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz was first to report the news.

It’s a four-year deal worth $76 million with $54.4 million guaranteed, per Schultz. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, $43.8 million of it is guaranteed at signing with $28 million guaranteed in the first year. Johnson will make $60 million in the first three years of the deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

That’s $19 million per year, which is slightly under the $19.8 million he would’ve received on the franchise tag.

Johnson, a former second-round pick in 2020, is coming off a career year with Chicago, where he set a career-high four interceptions, 36 tackles and 10 pass breakups in 14 games while also emerging as a top cover cornerback in the NFL. Johnson earned his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods for his impressive 2023 campaign.

Re-signing Johnson was a priority for general manager Ryan Poles this offseason. Johnson was a key component of the success of Chicago’s defense down the stretch and among the team’s best and most important players.

Back at the NFL Scouting Combine, Poles told reporters the organization was in the process of getting a contract extension done for Johnson, where conversations were going well are there was optimism about getting a new deal done. Poles also made it clear he didn’t want to utilize the franchise tag, although that’s what ended up happening earlier this week. But it took all of two days to get an agreement done.

With Johnson locked down through 2027, the Bears have a special cornerback group that also features Kyler Gordon, Chicago’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in Tyrique Stevenson and another standout rookie in Terell Smith.

Eddie Jackson hints his Bears future is in doubt

Bears safety Eddie Jackson shared a few cryptic posts on social media suggesting his time in Chicago is coming to an end.

One of the longest-tenured Chicago Bears players might have played his final game in the navy and orange.

Safety Eddie Jackson took to social media on Thursday night and shared a few cryptic messages. He posted a few emojis on his Twitter/X account before adding a new message saying “New Beginnings.”

It was Jackson’s first post in over two months.

https://twitter.com/BoJack4/status/1755820348308664705

Shortly after, Jackson posted a story on his Instagram with a black screen and a caption that reads “All love Chi Town.”

It goes without saying that this is all speculation, but Jackson’s future with the Bears was always going to be murky heading into this offseason. He’s set to have a cap hit of over $18 million, the third-most on the team, heading into the final year of his deal. The Bears can cut Jackson and save $12.5 million. Given his injury issues the last couple years, as well as his play dipping once again in 2023, the writing seems to be on the wall for Jackson, and it sounds like he knows that too.

Jackson was selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft out of Alabama and burst onto the scene early in his career. He had 11 takeaways during his first two seasons and scored five defensive touchdowns during that time. Jackson earned two Pro Bowl nods and was a First-Team All-Pro in 2018.

His production dropped significantly beginning in 2020, and he never returned to those same heights, even while having a renaissance season in 2022 with four interceptions, before suffering a season-ending foot injury. Jackson is the second-longest tenured Bear behind Cody Whitehair and is the last member of the elite 2018 defense.

At the end of the season, Jackson spoke about his future and expressed his desire to remain a Bear. “I hope I’m here next year, but God always has a plan,” Jackson said via Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune. “So I feel like I’ll always land on my feet. I hope it’s here. I know how it works in the business. I wish I could be here my whole entire career, but we know how this thing works. So you have to live in the moment.”

At his year-end press conference, general manager Ryan Poles admitted Jackson’s injuries impacted his play, but offered some praise for him, citing his communication skills and chemistry with Jaquan Brisker. “When Eddie was in you could tell Brisker felt really, really comfortable. That whole group, he really impacts the communication. You can really see that,” Poles said.

It’s possible Jackson’s recent social media activity is unrelated to his Chicago future, but it feels pretty calculated. His days in a Bears uniform are likely over.

Bears CB Jaylon Johnson believes he’s earned more money on next contract

It sounds like the asking price for Bears CB Jaylon Johnson has gone up.

Jaylon Johnson has established himself as one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks, where he’s been a big part of the resurgence with this Bears defense. And with Johnson in a contract year, it certainly appears that his price tag continues to increase.

Johnson has been a top coverage cornerback in the league, but he’s also added the interception component to his game this season with a career-high four interceptions in 11 games. And Johnson believes he deserves more money on his next contract than he originally thought.

“After this season, I feel like there’s not anything that you can say that I’m not doing,” Johnson said on the Parkins & Spiegel Show on Monday. “I feel like before the season, (I felt) for three years, I’ve covered at a high rate. And it’s been like, ‘Oh, can he get the interception? Can he get the interception?’ So it’s like, after this year, you can’t say I can’t cover at a high level

“…You can’t say I’m not an elite cover guy. You can’t say that I can’t take the ball away. You can’t say to me that I can’t tackle. So I mean, realistically, what is it that I can’t do that deserves top pay, top corner money? I feel like now there’s definitely opportunity and room – and especially if I touch All-Pro. I feel like there’s not anything that I haven’t done that’s deserving of it.”

Johnson is Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded cornerback this season, and he continues to shine as the Bears defense trends upward. So did Chicago miss out on getting him at a discounted rate?

“Maybe, I mean maybe,” Johnson said. “I’m thinking the same way y’all are thinking.”

The Bears also have the option of using the franchise tag, which would pay Johnson the average of the top five salaries at his position. And he wouldn’t necessarily be mad, given Over The Cap projects it to be in the $18.41 million range.

“The money is still good,” Johnson joked.

Cole Kmet eager to prove Bears right after contract extension

Bears TE Cole Kmet is looking to play beyond his contract extension value.

The big news of the day is tight end Cole Kmet signing a four-year contract extension worth $50 million. The news broke during Wednesday’s practice, and Kmet explained that he learned that a deal was in place 20 minutes before practice started. Kmet said his first emotion was relief.

The Chicago Bears locked up tight end Cole Kmet to a four-year contract extension worth $50 million. The news broke during Wednesday’s first training camp practice, which is right around when Kmet learned of the news.

“The last three days were pretty hectic, not really knowing where it was going to go,” Kmet said. “But got a call from my representation 20 minutes before I went out that we were good to go, so it was a good feeling.”

Kmet is the first long-term extension for general manager Ryan Poles, who joined the Bears last offseason. The fact that it was former GM Ryan Pace, not Poles, who drafted Kmet, is certainly significant.

“It’s obviously life-changing stuff, and it’s pretty wild to think about,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s crazy. I don’t even know how else to say it. Honored to be here. Honored that they felt I was a guy worthy of this. Ready to get going and prove these guys right and play beyond what the contract value is, in my opinion. That’s what I want to do. And show that they made the right decision.”

Kmet is part of what’s been an impactful 2020 draft class, and there could be more contract extensions on the way — whether it’s cornerback Jaylon Johnson, wide receivers Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool or defensive end Trevis Gipson.

While Mooney acknowledged he’d also like to get a contract extension, he was very happy for Kmet.

“I love Cole Kmet,” Mooney said. “Cole is my guy. I love playing with Cole. I talk to him after the game, before the game, in the huddle. I just love Cole.”

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Bears WRs Darnell Mooney, Chase Claypool out to prove their worth this season

Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool each had a turbulent 2022 season. Entering the final year of their contract, they know 2023 is a big year.

For the first time since late November, Chicago Bears wide receivers Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool were back on the field together as the team kicked off 2023 training camp.

As each player enters their fourth season in the league and the final year of their rookie deal, they face a pivotal point in their respective careers that will dictate what their futures look like after turbulent campaigns the year before.

In Mooney’s case, he entered the season as the team’s unquestioned WR1, but struggled out of the gate with production. Just as he seemed to turn a corner, however, he suffered a broken ankle and missed the rest of the year.

Meanwhile, Claypool was traded midseason from the Pittsburgh Steelers to Chicago and had to learn a new offense on the fly. His production was limited and he battled his own ailments to finish out the season. Now they’re both out to show they’re deserving of new deals and said as much to reporters.

On Wednesday, Claypool and Mooney met with the media following the team’s first practice of training camp. It was also the same day the Bears announced a four-year, $50 million extension with tight end Cole Kmet. Needless to say, it was a topic of conversation in the media sessions.

Mooney met with the media first and was asked by Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times if he felt he was healthy enough that the Bears would be comfortable extending him.

“I’m not a risk, I’m that guy you can count on,” Mooney said. “You don’t have to worry about me doing my job. If that’s something they want to do, that’s something they want to do. But I’m in professional football, I don’t do contracts. That’s why I got an agent.”

He sounds ready to go, though, and can’t wait to show what he can do. “Whenever they let me out of the cage, I’ll be ready for sure,” he said.

Mooney is still ramping up activity following his rehab, but is participating in individual drills to start camp.

After Mooney’s session ended, it was Claypool’s turn to talk with the media and he didn’t mince words about what this season means for him.

“This is the biggest year of my life and I understand that,” Claypool said in response to a question from 670 The Score’s Chris Emma regarding his motivation entering a contract year. “If anyone thinks my work ethic isn’t matching that, they’re deeply mistaken.”

He acknowledged the gravitas of the situation but also has his mind on helping the Bears improve in the win column following a 3-14 season.

“The goal is the same at the end of the day: it’s to win football games and my contract year aside, I want to win football games,” Claypool said.

Both receivers will be the first to admit they didn’t play up to their potential in 2022. Mooney had just 40 receptions for 493 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games, while Claypool managed just 14 receptions for 140 yards and no touchdowns in seven games with the Bears.

With the arrival of D.J. Moore, the pressure will be on these two to not only produce in 2023, but to prove they’re worthy of big money next offseason. Whether that’s with the Bears or another team remains to be seen but Mooney and Claypool are confident they’re worth the investment.

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Bears 2023 draft class: Projecting each rookie’s contract

Here’s a breakdown of how much each Bears draft pick is projected to cost in 2023.

The Chicago Bears came away from the 2023 NFL draft with 10 players and a slew of currently unconfirmed undrafted free agents.

General manager Ryan Poles addressed some big needs in the trenches with offensive tackle Darnell Wright and defensive tackles Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens. He also shored up the secondary with Tyrique Stevenson and added some potential late-round gems on Day 3.

While it could be a little bit before we start hearing about rookies signing their contracts — it hasn’t even been a week since they’ve been drafted — projections indicate that it’ll account for roughly $12.28 million combined in cap space for the 2023 season.

Here’s a breakdown of how much each Bears drafted rookie will cost the team this season (all projections via Spotrac).

10 biggest salary cap hits for the Chicago Bears in 2021

Here’s a look at the 10 biggest cap hits for the Bears in 2021, which includes several offensive linemen and defensive players.

The Chicago Bears have an important offseason ahead where general manager Ryan Pace is going to have his hands full with what’s expected to be a decreased salary cap.

The salary cap is expected to decrease by nearly $22 million in 2021, which is due to the effects of COVID-19 during 2020. Currently where things stand — as OverTheCap projects — the Bears are $89,572 over the salary cap.

Which means Pace is going to have to make some changes in regards to cutting players and restructuring contracts, especially given the Bears have plenty of vacant positions to fill this offseason.

Here’s a look at the 10 biggest cap hits on the books for the Bears in 2021. (Salary cap numbers courtesy of OverTheCap.)

Breaking down contract statuses at every position for Bears’ 2021 offseason

With Chicago’s offseason in full swing, we decided to take a look at the current contract status at every position.

The Chicago Bears concluded their 2020 season at 8-9, which included a wild-card playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Now, the attention turns to the offseason, where general manager Ryan Pace will have plenty of work to do and not a whole lot of cap space to do it with — at least at the moment. The Bears are roughly $185,755 over the salary cap, which factors in the likely salary cap decrease following a COVID-19 season.

With the offseason in full swing, we decided to take a look at the current contract status at every position.

For note: Those listed that still have time left on their contracts could be released or traded during the offseason, and some could sign extensions.

This list also includes players entering free agency and those on injured reserve, although not the practice squad.

Here’s a key:

  • UFA – Unrestricted free agent
  • RFA – Restricted free agent
  • ERFA – Exclusive Rights Free Agent
  • CO – Club option
  • Ages are as of Sept. 1, 2021

*Cap numbers courtesy of Spotrac

Report: Bears sign rookie TE Cole Kmet to contract

Chicago continues to sign its 2020 rookie class, this time reportedly inking top draft pick TE Cole Kmet to his rookie deal.

With rookies allowed to start reporting to training camp on Tuesday, we’re starting to see Chicago Bears rookie sign their contracts. Second-round cornerback Jaylon Johnson and seventh-round offensive lineman Lachavious Simmons shared on Twitter that they had signed their contracts.

Now, according to The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain, the Bears’ top draft pick second-round tight end Cole Kmet has signed his rookie deal.

Kmet was the top-graded tight end coming out of the 2020 NFL Draft, which made him an appealing prospect for a Bears team coming off one of the worst collective tight end performances in 2019.

The Bears overhauled their tight ends room this offseason with three new faces that will likely occupy three of the four roster spots held by tight ends. Kmet and Demetrius Harris will occupy the “Y” tight end role and veteran Jimmy Graham will be the starting “U” tight end.

Kmet is a big tight end that has the ability to block and be a threat in the passing game. While Matt Nagy’s scheme utilizes the move tight end, expect Kmet to be a big part of what this Bears offense does.

Bears coaches have raved among Kmet during this virtual offseason, including how quickly he’s grasped Nagy’s playbook. Given the importance of the tight end in Nagy’s offense, Kmet has a chance to make an immediate impact on the Bears in his rookie season.

Expect more Bears rookies to sign their deals and for official announcements from the team.

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Report: Bears expected to re-sign DB/ST Sherrick McManis

Sherrick McManis will remain the longest-tenured player on the Bears when the club — hopefully — returns for the 2020 season.

Sherrick McManis will remain the longest-tenured player on the Chicago Bears when the team — hopefully — returns for the 2020 season.

The Bears are expected to re-sign the core special teams contributor, who will return for his ninth season with the Bears, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

While contract details haven’t been revealed, it would be expected for McManis to return on a one or two-year deal, similar to his last contract with the Bears. McManis has been an important veteran presence on this team, and his return will be big for this club.

McManis has proven to be a reliable depth player in Chicago’s secondary — both at cornerback and safety — but his bread and butter has come on special teams, where he’s arguably the team’s most important player, along with kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson.

During his 108 games with Chicago, McManis has tallied one interception, one forced fumble, six passes defensed and one sack.

McManis’s season was cut short in 2019, after he suffered a groin injury in Week 12 against the New York Giants. He finished the season with 11 tackles in nine games.

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