2 contract extensions Chicago Bears need to make and 1 to avoid

Over the last year and a half, the Chicago Bears have transformed into what now looks like a respectable football team. The 2023 campaign might just see the Bears surprise some folks.

Thanks to a whole lot of work done by general manager Ryan Poles, this roster looks much different than it did even a year ago. There's been a ton of tweaking, wheeling and dealing going on.

At the moment, though, the Bears have three players that will need extensions soon, and some of them should be done sooner rather than later. Let's start with the two Chicago should extend, first.

The Bears should extend Jaylon Johnson

One of the hotter topics at the moment is that of Jaylon Johnson and his contract situation. The 2020 second-round pick is not one of Poles' guys, but he's been around long enough to be considered a leader in this locker room.

Not to mention, Johnson is a good player. Last year, he finished allowing a career-low passer rating of 94.6, which doesn't seem like an elite number. However, the Bears' front seven was horrendous. Judging a player like Johnson when he has zero talent in front of him is tough to do.

But, he's one of the more physical defensive backs the Bears have and now that the defense is more well-rounded, he should enjoy his best season yet. The Bears need to get ahead of the game by extending him now, rather than waiting until his price goes up. It's already a "situation" right now, so Poles would be wise to get it done and over with, even though he isn't one of "his" guys.