Bears sign Jaylon Johnson to $76 million extension

Jeffrey Becker - USA Today Sports

by Tony Crumpton - Senior Editor - Thu Mar 07 17:08:07 GMT-04:00 2024

The Chicago Bears and standout cornerback Jaylon Johnson have agreed on a four-year, $76 million extension that includes $54 million in guaranteed money, according to multiple reports on Thursday.

This is only two days after Johnson was tendered the franchise tag.

He will make $28 million in the first year of the deal.

"We're extremely excited to be able to keep Jaylon here for the next four years," general manager Ryan Poles said on Thursday. "He's an integral part of our defense and his leadership will help our team continue to ascend."

The 24-year-old was a Pro Bowl player for the first time in 2023 with a career-best four interceptions. He also was named second-team All-Pro.

He allowed a career-low 5.0 yards per target last season, 4th-fewest among all cornerbacks with at least 30 targets.

“I just couldn’t see myself anywhere else,” Johnson said in January. "It’s easy to say, oh, you want out of somewhere until you get it and then it’s like, ‘Ah, this may not be quite what I want.’ But I would say for me, I want to stay here and I want to not make that transition now. I feel like we’re building something special too, especially with the guys in the locker room. I mean, it's something I can’t get anywhere else. I would like to stay and continue to build, make it better. And (shoot), I want to win some games and get to the playoffs and make a push with the Chicago name too.”

He was a second-round pick (#50th pick) of the Bears in 2020.