Bear Digest

Jaylon Johnson's Lofty Status Maintained and Well Explained

The Pro Bowl Bears cornerback remains among the highest rated at his position in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus, and now has made it into one top-100 player list.

Gene Chamberlain

Jaylon Johnson looks upfield after an interception against the Minnesota Vikings during a 2023 season when he had four picks.
Jaylon Johnson looks upfield after an interception against the Minnesota Vikings during a 2023 season when he had four picks. / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
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Everything Jaylon Johnson has acquired over the last season has been earned over four seasons.

It took into his fourth season before everyone began realizing what he had been and was doing at cornerback for the Bears.

Not only has his reward included the second-highest guaranteed amount of cash ever given a defensive back, but now it's coming in terms of respect.

Johnson, who got $47.8 million guaranteed in a $76 million, four-year deal on his extension, made second-team All=Pro last year and could be on his way to first team if his production keeps up with the accolades.

Pro Football Focus graded Johnson the best cornerback in the league last year and again is trumpeting his advancement, while he has also turned up on one of the many preseason 100-lists to begin trickling out.

PFF does an effective job breaking down how Johnson has shut down receivers in Mason Cameron's article "NFL's highest-graded CBs by targeted route type: Jaylon Johnson, Brian Branch and More."

In it, Cameron indicates Johnson ruled along the sidelines and also on comeback routes. With those two avenues blanketed, receivers found little to their liking against him.

Johnson received an astronomical 99.9 PFF coverage grade against comeback routes, well ahead of the next-best cornerback, Ronald Darby, and it was based on how "...he allowed zero open targets and no receptions while generating one forced incompletion and a pick-six," according to Cameron.

Johnson drew the same 99.9 against corner routes for the top ranking based on two of his interceptions coming against these routes.

"Needless to say, opposing offenses may want to reconsider attacking his side with flood-and-smash concepts," Cameron wrote.

They also ranked Johnson third against hitch routes.

All of this supports how he has been ranked one of the better cornerbacks again by PFF heading into training camp, though not No. 1 like he was graded at the end of last year.

So it shouldn't be surprising that CBS Sports veteran Pete Prisco has ranked his top 100 players and Johnson is the top-ranked Bears player, coming in at No. 34 overall after he hadn't been on Prisco's top-100 list last year.

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"He had a breakout season in 2023, which earned him a new contract from the team," Prisco wrote. "He gives them a true No. 1 corner and will team with Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon to give them one of the best trios in the league."

Montez Sweat and DJ Moore also have spots in Prisco's top 100.

The one thing you worry about with a player who achieves a fast rise to gain attention like Johnson is simply letting it go to his head.

"I feel like for me in that situation I had a lot to prove and pretty much have proven that I have some value on the defense and I have value on the field," Johnson said at minicamp.

The motivation?

"Being the best corner in the league," he said.

There is also the matter of losing too much, which he put even higher.

It's motivation for everyone with the organization and has been considering the Bears have one winning season since Lovie Smith was their head coach.

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher 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.