Jaylon Johnson went from a solid contributor on the Chicago Bears defense to what makes the unit tick. A former All-Pro, his success this season will either raise the Bears' heights or have the defense held back. That is why he comes in as our number two most important player.
Ranking most important Bears on 2025 roster: Number 2 Jaylon Johnson
Johnson was arguably the best cornerback in football in 2023. So, when he was not quite at that level in 2024, it was not a huge disappointment. His play was not poor; it was just closer to the earlier stages of his career than the best he played.
The reality is that the Bears' defense does not have many weak spots, but at the same time, they do not possess a ton of high-end game changers. That is why Johnson is so significant. First, he can lock down most numbers one receivers on the outside. Second, when he won his All-Pro award, he was turning the ball over at a high rate. Those turnovers put the offense in a position to score. If the unit wants to hit its peak, it has the potential to flip games.
When you look at the Bears unit, the secondary is a better group than the pass rush. However, Kyler Gordon is slot only, and Tyrique Stevenson still brings some questions on the outside. If the strength of their defense is to reach its potential, it is crucial that Johnson has a big year. More than that, if Johnson gets hurt or fails to live up to expectations, there is a real question about whether the defense can be good enough to reach the level needed to compete for a Super Bowl.
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Johnson is the type of secondary player who can make you forget about your holes along the pass rush. His impact makes him the second most important player on the Bears roster.