3 reasons why the Chicago Bears won the Jaylon Johnson contract
By Dakota Wayne
Chicago Bears Win No. 1: Jaylon Johnson earns $19-million AAV, lower than projected
When the debate on Jaylon Johnson's future status with the Bears was questionable, the amount of money Johnson was requesting was top-cornerback money. Per Spotrac, the highest AAV (Average Annual Value) in the league at the cornerback position is $ 21 million for Green Bay's Jaire Alexander.
Cornerback | 2024 AAV |
|---|---|
(1) Jaire Alexander (GB) | $21,000,000 |
(2) Denzel Ward (CLE) | $20,100,000 |
(3) L'Jarius Sneed (KC/UFA*) | $19,802,000 (franchise tag) |
(4) Marshon Lattimore (NO) | $19,520,600 |
(5) Marlon Humphrey (BAL) | $19,500,000 |
(6) Trevon Diggs (DAL) | $19,400,000 |
(7) Jaylon Johnson (CHI) | $19,000,000 |
(8) Jalen Ramsey (MIA) | $18,333,333 |
As it stands, Johnson's AAV is sandwiched between Jalen Ramsey and Trevon Diggs, and considering the talent Jaylon Johnson brings to the Chicago Bears' defense, this contract is team-friendly. The Bears are getting a top cornerback for the price of a top 7 cornerback, annually.
Johnson could've probably been offered approximately $20 million or more to play somewhere else. Instead, Jaylon Johnson stays in Chicago with the Bears.
Even before there were interceptions in Jaylon Johnon's resume, there wasn't a question that he was the Bears' best cornerback. His lack of production was in part due to the fact that opposing quarterbacks could just, quite literally, throw at the other defenders. Now that the Bears have spent significant draft capital on the secondary in Kyler Gordon, Jaquon Brisker, and Tyrique Stevenson, it's harder for opposing quarterbacks to avoid Jaylon Johnson.
To bring back one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL on a team-friendly deal is one of the biggest winning factors of re-signing Johnson.