Bears insider shares scoop on Jaylon Johnson’s status

When the Chicago Bears announced that cornerback Jaylon Johnson would begin training camp on the non-football injury list, fans immediately gasped and worried that the team’s CB1 was posturing for a new contract.

Just a few days before landing on the NFI list, Johnson told Seth Rollins on the Rich Eisen Show that he wanted to have a chat with GM Ryan Poles after seeing how much money cornerbacks got paid this offseason.

“Just seeing a lot of the other corners getting paid, I almost feel like we might have another discussion coming up here soon,” he said.

So, yeah, Bears fans were justified in their concern that another contract dilemma could soon be headed toward Halas Hall.

Fear not, Bears Nation. That won’t be the case; at least, not in 2025.

Longtime Chicago Bears insider Brad Biggs appeared on the Mully and Haugh Show and confirmed that Johnson’s inclusion on the NFI list had nothing to do with a contract dispute. Instead, it was more likely because of a soft-tissue injury.

Jaylon Johnson won’t be out of Bears training camp for long

“I would imagine (the injury is) pretty minor,” Biggs said. “Like he was in town for his football camp last weekend. Looked fine, right? If you saw some of the video, it could be a minor soft tissue injury. No, NFI and contract have, that has nothing to do with each other. They paid him not long ago to make him happy.”

Johnson signed a four-year, $76 million contract last March, and while it’s true that the market valuation for cornerbacks has exploded in just one offseason, this is life in the NFL.

“And that was, as you recall, that was a prolonged process, right?” Biggs continued. “They thought they were close to a deal during the season and it didn’t happen until after the season. Obviously, there’s been some cornerbacks paid since, but that’s the nature of the NFL.”

Johnson will be removed from the NFI list soon, perhaps even in time for the team’s first practice on July 23. Even if he lingers on that inactive list for a few extra days, it won’t impact his availability for the preseason or, more importantly, the start of the 2025 regular season.

Jaylon Johnson started all 17 games for the Chicago Bears in 2024 and finished the season with a career-high 53 tackles and two interceptions.