LAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS – JUNE 15: Jaylon Johnson #33 of the Chicago Bears stretches during minicamp at Halas Hall on June 15, 2023 in Lake Forest, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775989679
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The Bears and Jaylon Johnson are close to an extension that will give the cornerback a four-year contract worth $76 million, sources confirmed Thursday. He’ll get $54.4 million guaranteed.
The two sides had pushed for a contract extension for more than a year. The Bears gave Johnson the franchise tag Tuesday, guaranteeing he would return for a fifth season in 2024 for $19.8 million. The tag bought time for the two to keep talking about a long-term deal — the deadline to reach one was July 15.
Locking up Johnson cements the cornerback spot as perhaps the strongest on the Bears roster. It’s also a rare case of the Bears rewarding their own players with multi-year deals. General manager Ryan Poles extended kicker Cairo Santos, tight end Cole Kmet and nose tackle Andrew Billings in the past season.
Johnson finished the year allowing a 33.3 passer rating — a number lower than if a quarterback just spiked the ball into the ground on every play.
Poles said last week that he hoped to reach an extension before the Tuesday franchise tag deadline. It came two days later.