Jaylon Johnson Continues to Reap Benefits of Strong 2023 Season
![Jaylon Johnson steps in front of Jordan Addison for an interception in the Bears' 12-10 win last season at Minneapolis. Jaylon Johnson steps in front of Jordan Addison for an interception in the Bears' 12-10 win last season at Minneapolis.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5758,h_3238,x_0,y_340/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/bear_digest/01j2w7zd29bbba1y82qd.jpg)
Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson has managed to set the bar up high.
It will be interesting to see if he can attain it again.
Johnson was named earlier as a top-50 player in the NFL on the 100 best players list of CBS Sports' Pete Prisco, at No. 34 overall.
Now the annual Pro Football Focus countdown has begun with their top 50 and Johnson comes in at No. 42 after he had been graded No. 1 in the NFL in 2023 at cornerback by the analytics website.
"Jaylon Johnson had a career year in 2023 and was arguably the best cornerback in the game," PFF's Sam Monson wrote. "His 91.0 PFF coverage grade was the top mark in football, and he allowed just a 33.3 passer rating into his coverage—a lower figure than if opposing quarterbacks had thrown the ball into the dirt 50 times instead."
PFF counts down by 10 at a time so there is no indication where this ranks Johnson among cornerbacks league-wide. There were no other cornerbacks or Bears players in this section of the countdown as Johnson is ratsed just behind second-year Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter at 41 and just ahead of Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown (43) and Texans tackle Laremy Tunsil (44).
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CALEB WILLIAMS AND ROME ODUNZE UNSIGNED ON EVE OF ROOKIES' REPORTING DAY
Jaylon Johnson with his impressions of Caleb Williams as they get closer to Training Camp 👀
— Bearsszn (@bearssznn) July 12, 2024
pic.twitter.com/UPztnfEL2y
Johnson is rated ahead of Detroit center Frank Ragnow (47th), and both of the 49ers' key wide receiver weapons, Brandon Aiyuk (No. 49) and Deebo Samuel (No. 50).
On Prisco's list, the Bears had a few others in the top 100 but no one else in the top 50. Edge rusher Montez Sweat came in 73rd and wide receiver DJ Moore 84th.
Now, for Johnson, it's a matter of following up on success. Not only has he been ranked highly but he also received a $76 million contract and he'll need to live up to all of it.
Jaylon Johnson in 2023:
— PFF (@PFF) July 15, 2024
🔒 91.0 coverage grade (1st among CBs)
🔒 195 yards allowed in coverage (1st)
🔒 33.3 passer rating allowed (1st)
📎 https://t.co/3XQSrKFIS6 pic.twitter.com/kHEFeV47lM
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven