Jaylon Johnson Hopes to Remain a Bear

Things are not always as they seem, especially in the case of Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

Johnson returned to OTA practices this week and the most pressing topic in relation to his situation seems to be a contract extension. Johnson says he's currently more worried about getting ready for the season.

Still, it's difficult not to draw comparisons between his contract situation and that of former Bear Roquan Smith.

No. 1 among these similarities is representation in talks with the Bears. Johnson has no agent, and neither did Smith, who wound up being dealt to the Baltimore Ravens after an impasse in talks with the Bears.

"I'm transitioning," Johnson said. "I don't clearly have an agent but I will be signing with an agent."

That is a difference. Smith merely had a person named Saint Omni give him assistance. Ultimately he got $100 million for five years from the Ravens.

"His situation is different than my situation," Johnson said. "It's Roquan Smith at the end of the day. But I'm not him, he's not me. My timing is different than his timing. I'm not too caught up in that."

Johnson needs his extension heading to his fourth season while Smith needed his going into Year 5 because he was a first-round draft pick. One plays cornerback, the other was a captain and leader of the Bears defense.

"100% I look forward to staying and extending with the Bears," Johnson said.

Smith said something similar at one point very early in the standoff.

"For me, I'm not too worried about it," Johnson said. "Of course, the contract and stuff, there are gonna be talks, there are gonna be some things that get brought up. But at the end of the day, that's above me to an extent.

"Just trying to stay focused and keep the main thing the main thing. And when that comes up, handle that situation when it comes."

It's clear now Johnson's absence from the first two weeks of OTAs had nothing to do with a failed contract extension. He had personal business and family matters to address.

"For me, I don't have to do too much. I just go out and continue to be who I am, continue to be the player I am, keep getting better, keep finding ways to improve my game," he said. "And really, just find ways to win. For me, I'm not too worried about it.

"Of course, the contract and stuff, there are gonna be talks, there are gonna be some things that get brought up. But at the end of the day, that's above me to an extent. Just trying to stay focused and keep the main thing the main thing. And when that comes up, handle that situation when it comes."

Although Johnson doesn't want to worry about contracts, he didn't have a problem making clear a stance he'll have when they do get to talking about this deal with the Bears. Johnson's total of one interception for three years can be a management talking point. 

The reason for this statistic, Johnson said, is how the Bears have used him on defense. It's difficult to argue this. They've put him on the opponent's best receiver at times.

"To me I think there's different tiers within the tiers," Johnson said about cornerbacks. "I think you have to put the category of guys together, to me, that have the hardest jobs. I think that's following No. 1 wide receivers. 

"I think you take that tier and then you create a tier of those guys."

Johnson didn't do this every week, but many times when the defense didn't have a viable alternative in the secondary for blanketing a particular pass catcher.

It's debatable whether the Bears will value this in the future because they now possess the ability to put three second-round cornerbacks on the field, and it would seem their goal will be to play the scheme and not be as consumed about one man.

"When you follow and have the trust to go to those hard downs to continue to go to those matchups, I think you have to take those guys and see what they do from there," Johnson said. "I don't think there are too many guys that consistently have No. 1 (receiver) jobs that are going out here and getting too many interceptions. Those tend to be the guys that stay, play the system, play the defense, figure out ways to take their chances and make plays on the ball.

"But I think if your assignment is to take a guy out of the game, I think those interceptions are very limited."

Simply, it's more difficult to play the ball when you're worried about the man.

Whether the Bears see it this way will no doubt be at the center of discussions, that is, when they occur.

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