Bears CB Jaylon Johnson

Bears CB Jaylon Johnson eyes next contract with Bears — or 'somewhere else'

Jaylon Johnson has been a Chicago Bears cornerback longer than any other player on the team. In May 2024 he signed a four‑year, $76 million contract that pays him $25 million a year but leaves only a $9 million dead‑cap charge in 2027. That structure makes it easy for the Bears to release him after this season, which would let him become a free agent before he turns 28. The market for cornerbacks has grown a lot in the last two‑and‑a‑half years, so he could get a better deal elsewhere.