The Bears thought they’d be in much better position than this, but they’ll wrap up the season with just one Pro Bowl pick.
Cornerback Jaylon Johnson was selected for the second consecutive season, the NFL announced Thursday.
Johnson has only two interceptions, but doesn’t get many passes thrown his way and is widely regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in the league. According to Pro Football Reference, he has been targeted just 52 times, compared to 149 combined for Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon and Terell Smith.
“It’s hard to make plays on the ball when you barely get targeted,” Johnson said Wednesday. “That’s what gets you the Pro Bowl votes: making plays, having those interceptions and numbers and things like that. But I feel like overall I played solid. Definitely could’ve done some things better, but I did a lot of good, too.”
Johnson, 25, has been the Bears’ best cornerback every season since they drafted him in the second round out of Utah in 2020. He signed a four-year, $76 million contract extension last offseason that runs through 2027.