Jaylon Johnson: 2026 is definitely a contract year for me

Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson has two more years on his current deal, but he’s looking at things a bit differently.

Johnson has no guaranteed money to go with a $25 million cap hit in 2027 and said that the coming season “is definitely a contract year” in his eyes. That comes after a 2025 campaign that was marred by a groin injury that cost Johnson 10 games.

Framing this season as a push for a new deal “whether that’s here, somewhere else” means that Johnson will have to show he’s back to top form in the wake of his injury troubles.

“I’m not a dummy,” Johnson said, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com. “We all know that and I’ve structured my deal a certain way to put myself back at the table at the age of 27. For me, it was always for this point to get here, and then show how I do what I do and be healthy and be out there doing what I do best and that’s covering, that’s making plays, being a difference-maker. From there, wherever that contract talk goes, it goes.”

That’s not exact motivation Bears head coach Ben Johnson was talking about in reference to his team managing hype this season, but it’ll work if it means Johnson is back to being an effective corner for the entire season.