Chicago Bears: Trumaine Johnson new top free agent target?

With the Los Angeles Rams likely about to move on from Trumaine Johnson after trading for Marcus Peters, should the Chicago Bears become front-runners for Johnson’s services?

Significant trades don’t happen as often in the NFL as they do in other sports. But one did happen today, and it could have big implications for cornerback Trumaine Johnson and the Chicago Bears.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported earlier today that the Los Angeles Rams will acquire Kansas City’s Marcus Peters via trade. The playmaking cornerback should boost an already strong defense looking to compete for a Super Bowl in their second year under Sean McVay.

The other consequence of that move, though, is that the Ram will almost assuredly allow Johnson to hit the open market. The 28-year-old corner had played the last two seasons on the franchise tag.

With that in mind, the Chicago Bears just found themselves another top free agent to go after.

Johnson has a prototypical combination size at 6’2″,  205 pounds and skill to cover anyone you want, whether they’re big and physical or rely on speed. Vic Fangio is probably pounding a table somewhere right now to get a guy like that in Chicago.

A year after missing out on the likes of Stephon Gilmore and A.J. Bouye, the Chicago Bears have another shot at a bona fide top cornerback who should still have some miles left on him.

Of course, he probably won’t come cheap.

This guy just made over $30 million in franchise tags the last two seasons and likely won’t want to stray too far from that $16 million-a-year figure he just made. So if Ryan Pace and the Chicago Bears want him, they’ll have to shell out the cash.

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Plus, they’ll likely have to franchise Kyle Fuller at that point if they want to keep him around. Signing both those guys to long-term deals at the same time would be tough, though the Bears probably have the money for it.

Still, the idea of pairing Trumaine Johnson and Kyle Fuller on the outside should absolutely tantalize the Bears here. That would easily be the best cornerback duo Chicago has seen since Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings both made All-Pro teams in 2012.

Truthfully, just adding Johnson and another dynamic edge rusher could make the Chicago Bears a top-five defense. If that’s the choice before you, you have to consider it.

Next: 5 defensive free agent targets for Bears

I expect the Bears to pursue Johnson pretty heavily for that reason. And with the Bears looking like an ascending team, probably more so than the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns (duh), Chicago might look very attractive to him as well.

If the Chicago Bears are ready to take that next step toward competing for a Super Bowl, they have to go bold. Johnson will serve as a good barometer for how far the Bears are willing to go.