LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Jaylon Johnson locking down receivers has become such a regular occurrence at Bears training camp that it’s almost receded to the background. At times, you can forget he’s out there because the ball is rarely thrown his way. But in Thursday’s joint practice, Johnson was challenged a few times and he reminded onlookers why quarterbacks often opt to target different defensive backs.
“He’s elite, yeah,” said Cole Kmet.
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Kmet doesn’t typically square off against Johnson in practice since he most often lines up in the middle of the field or next to a tackle, while Johnson is out wide on a receiver. But he notices Johnson’s top tier play on film every day and said the Bears quarterbacks talk a lot about how well he’s playing this summer.
“He can be really deceptive in terms of how he’s using his drops and getting into coverage,” Kmet said.
Johnson’s sticky coverage also affords the defense extra flexibility. Knowing that he will compete at a high level against an opponent’s top target on a snap-by-snap basis helps both his teammates and his coaches.
“We look at that all the time, where the ball’s being thrown and where it’s not, and where you can really lean your coverages to certain players when they’re located in those spots,” said head coach Matt Eberflus.
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“There’s a lot of different coverages the way we’re doing things, like if I see Uno on the guy, I can just leave him alone and talk to the other safety on the other side of the field like, ‘Hey, we can maybe push the coverage, because I know he’s not giving up anything,’” said new starting free safety Kevin Byard. “He’s a special player and I really have enjoyed playing with him so far.”
There was no question that Johnson deserved a big contract extension this offseason. He solidified his reputation as one of the best coverage corners in the league, while improving his ball skills. In 2023, Johnson set career highs in interceptions (4), completion percentage allowed (55.2%), yards/completion allowed (8.7) and passer rating allowed (50.9). In March, Johnson signed a four-year deal worth a reported $76 million with over $51 million guaranteed. According to OverTheCap, it makes Johnson the ninth-highest paid CB in terms of total cash and APY, with the fourth-most guaranteed money.
The question became whether he would be the same player after signing the big contract. Money can change people and it can be hard to predict who will become complacent and who will continue to be motivated for more. It’s clear now that Johnson falls into the latter camp. So it looks like the question will become, will Johnson outperform the extension he just signed?
“He’s the exact DB that I think you want to have on your football team,” Kmet said. “He thinks he’s the best, he knows he’s the best, and I think right now he’s playing really well.”