5 Candidates with potential to breakout for the Chicago Bears in 2022
By Evan Bruner
Chicago Bears Breakout Candidate No.2: Jaylon Johnson
Many might consider Johnson’s 2021 campaign as a bit of a breakout. After battling injuries and playing as the secondary corner alongside Kyle Fuller, Johnson was thrust into the CB1 role in his second season. For the most part, Johnson held his own in a schedule that saw him go up against Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson, and Deebo Samuel. But for as much promise as Johnson showed, he has a chance to be a lot more than just a quality starting cornerback.
Where Jaylon Johnson can improve
Through his first two seasons, Johnson has been very disruptive at the point of the catch. This has helped him force incompletions and limit opportunities after the catch. The one thing this hasn’t translated to yet is interceptions. In 28 career games, Johnson has just one total interception. Interceptions aren’t always a great indicator of a player’s performance. But having more of those breakups result in turnovers would be crucial for Matt Eberflus’ defense.
Ever since 2018, the Bears’ defense has struggled to consistently generate takeaways. The additions of Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker undoubtedly help shore up the secondary. But most of the responsibility resides with Johnson. Turning only 23 last month, Johnson is still one of the youngest players on the roster. Seeing another jump from him in season three is far from a stretch.