The Chicago Bears placed the franchise tag on cornerback Jaylon Johnson ahead of today’s deadline.
Today is the deadline for teams to place the franchise tag on players who finished their contracts. The franchise tag is a one-year deal worth the average of the top five players at their position. The Chicago Bears had one player they could have franchised, cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
Well, the franchise tag was used on Johnson. That means he will stay in Chicago for at least one more season. He will earn $19.8 million in 2024.
Despite the tag designation, Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles still feels they can work out a new deal. The two sides tried to negotiate an extension but were not able to come to terms. Johnson requested a trade at the deadline in 2023, but nothing happened on that front. Poles said he wanted a late first-round or early second-round pick for Johnson.
Johnson later spoke about the situation. He said that he would love to stay in Chicago but understands the business aspect of the NFL. After the Pro Bowl, he said his heart is in Chicago but his head is on the money.
While the franchise tag is on Johnson now, that does not prevent the two sides from continuing to negotiate. Poles feels confident that both sides can iron out a deal.
We feel like we’ve done a really good job coming to the table strong and showing the respect that he’s due just in terms of his production through his career and really an emphasis on the turnovers he created this past year. Our expectation is that’s going to continue to go as he’s with the Bears.
Johnson is still just 24 (he turns 25 in April) and continues to ascend. As the Chicago Bears secondary improved, opposing quarterbacks ended up having to target him. That did not end well for them. He had a career-high 4 interceptions.
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Additionally, Johnson’s completion percentage allowed when targeted was his lowest, as was his yards allowed. Quarterbacks had a paltry 50.9 passer rating. He made the Pro Bowl and was an All-Pro Second Team.
Now Johnson wants to use all of that as leverage for a big new contract. He feels he should be the highest-paid cornerback in the league.
I feel like there’s no reason why I can’t be the highest-paid corner in the league. That’s what I’m aiming for. That’s what I’m shooting for. That’s what I think can be done and should be done.
While Johnson had a great season (his best so far), there are a lot of very talented cornerbacks in the league. Is he as good as, say, Trevon Diggs, Jalen Ramsey, or Denzel Ward? That is a topic for debate. However, as they say, “It’s all about the timing.” Even if he isn’t the best, he can still earn a contract that is the best.
Let’s hope the two sides find a deal that is good for both sides. Johnson is the leader of the Chicago Bears secondary. Yes, they’ve built a very good unit. However, with the release of Eddie Jackson, Johnson is now the most experienced player. He can mentor some of the younger players.
Johnson is the glue to the secondary. We don’t want to see what happens when that glue is taken away. Hopefully, we won’t find out.