Ben Johnson was honest about what he had seen in Bears 2-time Pro Bowler

This week at the Chicago Bears' mandatory OTAs, the star of the week so far has been cornerback Jaylon Johnson, as he is stealing the show.

Johnson has gotten off to a fast start this week, with two interceptions on the first day, suggesting he is back from his 2025 injury. Bears head coach Ben Johnson talked to the media about what he has seen from Jaylon Johnson this offseason that suggests he can return to the Pro Bowl-caliber player he was two years ago.

"I don't know that I ever saw 'himself' so it's hard for me to gauge that, particularly this time of year," Ben Johnson said via ESPN's Courtney Cronin. "But I think he had a good day yesterday out there. He's been able to stack a few of those throughout the OTAs. I think his mind is probably getting more confident in terms of the movements he's making. So yeah, he's a vital part of what we want to do. You know he's been a Pro Bowl-caliber player in the past, and hopefully we can get that out of him again this year."

Ben Johnson likes what he has seen from Jaylon Johnson in a short time

Jaylon Johnson was a Pro Bowler in 2023 and 2024, but an injury last year kept him off the field for about two months before returning late in the season. He did not play like the guy Bears fans had been used to, saying he needed a whole offseason to fully recover.

That's exactly what he did, as he was not at the Bears' facilities often until voluntary OTAs began. The combination of rehabbing and getting married filled up his time, but it was time needed to get away and recover the right way.

Chicago is going to need Johnson to step back and get his groove back in 2026, as the defense lost a lot of key pieces in the secondary with Nahshon Wright, Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson off the team. There is also growing concern about Kyler Gordon as he recovers from his injury and needs to stay healthy.

Johnson has a lot on his shoulders as he steps up to help the Bears get to where they need to be defensively in 2026. If he can get back to his 2024 form, this defense will get the boost they need.

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