The Chicago Bears took care of business in a big way ahead of NFL free agency, locking up Pro Bowl cornerback and franchise cornerstone Jaylon Johnson.
Per multiple media reports, Chicago inked Johnson to a four-year, $76 million contract. This comes just a couple days after the Bears had to place the dreaded franchise tag on the up-and-coming cornerback.
It’s pretty much the best of both worlds. The franchise tag value for cornerbacks this year is $19.8 million for one season. Johnson gets $19 million per season with much more in guaranteed cash. It will also lower his 2024 cap number considerably, helping Chicago in the process.
Johnson, 24, had a breakout campaign for the Bears in 2023. The former second-round pick from Utah recorded 10 passes defended and four interceptions. He also yielded a mere 55.2% completion and 50.9 QB rating when targeted. This led to a Pro Bowl selection and Second-Team All-Pro honors.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles continues to build foundational pieces. That included acquiring star edge rusher Montez Sweat during the in-season NFL trade deadline, ultimately inking him to a massive long-term contract. But more is on the way heading into free agency.
Related: Top NFL free agents of 2024
What the Chicago Bears should do next after Jaylon Johnson contract
- Trade Justin Fields: This thing continues to play out. It is as clear as day that Chicago is going to trade Fields at some point soon. It boasts the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and will select USC’s Caleb Williams. Rumors continue to float about a potential trade with multiple interested team. The Bears need to take care of this before the start of NFL free agency. It would be doing right by Fields while also enabling Chicago to realize what it is going to have in terms of draft ammo.
- Add another pass rusher: New Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington indicated after being hired that he believes they could have the best pass rush in the NFL. That’s not going to happen with Sweat as the only consistent force. Whether it’s out on the edge or on the interior of the line, Chicago should utilize a nice amount of salary cap room it has on a pass rusher. The obvious big-ticket items would be defensive tackle Chris Jones. Also, don’t sleep on the Bears teaming Sweat up with his former Washington teammate, Chase Young.
Related: 4 ideal Christian Wilkins landing spots in NFL free agency, including the Chicago Bears
- Sign a backup quarterback: Chicago can’t wait for the Fields thing to play out before adding a backup to what is presumably going to be a rookie in Williams. Take advantage of the expanded market at this position, and sign someone with starting experience. The likes of Jimmy Garoppolo, Ryan Tannehill and even Tyrod Taylor would make sense in this regard.
- Go big-game hunting at running back: Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson are fine enough players. But they are not dynamic in the truest sense of the term. Meanwhile, the Bears have been linked to New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley leading up to free agency. Getting a dual-threat back like Barkley to team up with Williams in the backfield would be an absolute coup. It also must be noted that it’s going to be a team-friendly market at the running back position in free agency.