Bears giving CB Jaylon Johnson the franchise tag

The Bears decided to give Jaylon Johnson the franchise tag Tuesday, a source confirmed, ensuring the cornerback will return for at least one more season and keeping the negotiating window open for a contract extension.

Johnson will receive $19.8 million on the one-year tag — if he and the Bears don’t agree to an extension before July 17. Johnson, who turns 25 next month, has said he wants to remain a Bear.

General manager Ryan Poles said last week he preferred to get an extension done before Tuesday’s 3 p.m. tag deadline, saying the Bears made a “strong” offer to Johnson that would allow him to return to the open market again, likely in three or four years. Johnson had no incentive to sign before Tuesday, though, and didn’t.

Johnson is eyeing the top of the cornerback market. The Packers’ Jaire Alexander makes $21 million per year, the most in the league, while Denzel Ward has the highest total salary at $100.5 million over five years.

Johnson and the Bears have struggled to find common ground on a contract extension for the last year. Johnson and his agent surprised Poles when they asked for a trade on the eve of the trade deadline — they’d had productive meetings to that point, the GM felt. Poles said he’d be willing to move Johnson if he got a late-first or early-second round pick back. He couldn’t land one.

Johnson was the best cornerback in the NFL in the second half of the season. He 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.

Johnson made his first Pro Bowl and was named a second-team All-Pro. He finished with four interceptions after totaling only one in his first three seasons.

“I’m so proud of Jaylon, the way he improved and the way he took the challenge to be a ‘ball’ guy,” coach Matt Eberflus said last week.

The non-exclusive nature of the tag allows for teams to offer Johnson a contract — but to hand the Bears two first-round picks if they don’t match the deal. That’s a non-starter for the 31 other NFL teams.

Players typically are dissatisfied with the franchise tag and often stay away from team facilities in protest during voluntary workouts.

Johnson told the Sun-Times last month he didn’t know whether he’d take that tack.

“I’ll see when the time comes, what I’m going to, what I’m able to do, what’s coming up in my off-the-field life,” he said.