Bear Digest

How Jaylon Johnson's actions speak louder than his colorful words

The Bears Pro Bowl cornerback will be in a defense playing to his strength and his willingness to be at voluntary offseason work speaks volumes about his optimism.

Gene Chamberlain

Jaylon Johnson on being suited to the defense.mp4
Jaylon Johnson on being suited to the defense.mp4 /
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No one should be surprised if cornerback Jaylon Johnson seems a little more willing to work on his own time during this offseason, and the new Ben Johnson coaching staff is part of the reason.

Jaylon Johnson won't admit to it, but it's there.

"I've been through it too many times, man," Jaylon Johnson said Tuesday at Halas Hall. "I'm going to get excited when we win in November. And December. And when we change some things and get into the playoffs.

"That's when I'm going to get excited."

They've changed a lot, though, with Ben Johnson as new coach and Dennis Allen as the defensive coordinator, and Johnson has to admit that. The excitement he has is tough to hide.

Just three years ago when Matt Eberflus took over as coach, Johnson was nowhere to be found initially during the voluntary offseason program. Eventually he came around.

This time, he's right there, arm in arm with his defensive brothers trying to understand Allen's defense and getting into shape to be able to play more man-to-man coverage like the scheme demands. So while Johnson tries to temper his enthusiasm for a new regime, there are few players who should be happier for it.

"I mean we're still trying to figure each other out," Johnson said. "I just seen the guy (Ben Johnson) in person for the first time yesterday. So nothing feels different to me.

"At the end of the day, I'll see in camp to start. And that's when the real ball will show up. And then really through our season, we'll see. Because things may start off rocky in the beginning and we'll figure it out and things change throughout the back half or the middle of the season. Or we start off hot and then (blank) the bed. So, I mean, it kind of depends. At the end of the day, to me, it's about winning. And I feel like I we go out there and we win on Sundays and I'll feel good about everybody."

Johnson had to admit this approach Allen to pass coverage is intriguing, especially because it calls for more man-to-man coverage and he usually lined up covering the oppositions best receiver, anyway.

"You lock up the No. 1 guy. No. 1 on No. 1," Jaylon Johnson said. "For me, that's what I am looking forward to doing. That's what I am looking forward to the most. That's what I train for. That's what I work hard for.

"So, I mean, for me, it's going to be about that. Being ready to go out there and lock up, challenge guys, make things harder for the offense, mess up timing and then, (deleted), the dogs up front, they have to eat. So everybody do what they do best. Dogs eat. And then guys on the back end cover."

Johnson was the player who reportedly stood up to Eberflus and hollered at him in the locker room after the blown game against Detroit on Thanksgiving. So getting a staff in preaching accountability should be exactly what he wants to hear.

Then again, Johnson has heard far too many empty promises in his five seasons and is into action over words.

"That don't got nothing to do with me," he said about big talk and promises. "The only thing that has anything to do with me is the work that I put in and the work that we put in as a unit in just taking steps in the right direction. Other than that? The talk, the hype and all that ... I mean, hype don't win you no games.

"I've been here a minute. I've been through the hype. And we don't win no games. So for me? If it's not about winning, quite honestly I don't really care about it."

As skeptical as he appears, it's apparent Johnson is already willing to buy in or he wouldn't even be at Halas Hall. He explained why he showed up.

"(To) show how my respect. It's big for me to come in and shake guys hands, see them in person," Johnson said. "Come in, be with the guys and show the guys that I'm here. Show face."

It's the beginning of a new coaching era, and Johnson's actions speak louder than his words about how much it means.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.