Chicago Bears CB, Jaylon Johnson receives high praise from a top WR

If you are following along with reports coming out of OTAs, you already know that the Chicago Bears have Jaylon Johnson practicing with the second-string defense. If you didn’t know that yet, now you do. The reports from the head coach, Matt Eberflus directly is that we should not look too much into the fact that Johnson is playing with the backups.

Matt Eberflus told reporters:

"“He’s just getting back into action right now,” Eberflus said Tuesday. “So we’re just seeing where he is with his conditioning and those types of things. But 1s and 2s, we’re moving all guys around. We have a bunch of guys with the 1s, with the 2s, we have some 3s in there. But nothing to read into that at this time.”"

Did the Chicago Bears send a message to the team through Jaylon Johnson?

Personally, I don’t believe it. I honestly think that Eberflus was sending a message. Although the minicamps were voluntary earlier in the offseason, I think Eberflus wasn’t too happy with Jaylon Johnson not attending. This was a way they could punish Johnson for not attending without it violating league policy. I also do not believe for one second that Jaylon Johnson will not be a starting outside corner for the Chicago Bears this season. He’s better than anyone on the team outside of maybe rookie, Kyler Gordon.

In two years, Johnson has yet to allow more than 60% of his targets to be completed. His interception numbers are not elite as he only has one, but he is constantly racking up pass breakups. The downside to his advanced stats is the number of touchdowns he has allowed, but don’t forget he’s covering the best of the best. Wide receivers like Davante Adams and Mike Evans are going to find ways to score against even the best corners. Neither of these two spoke up about Johnson though.