Despite the loss, the Chicago Bears should take pride in what they accomplished this season. Not many people thought they'd be as good as they proved to be during the 2025 campaign, and they were one bad throw away from making the NFC Championship Game.
Then again, that doesn't mean everybody should get a pass. If anything, GM Ryan Poles and Ben Johnson's coaching staff need to identify this team's flaws and liabilities to make sure they don't hurt them again next season. Not so shockingly anymore, that might mean this is the end of the line for Jaylon Johnson.
The Bears May Have to Cut Ties with Jaylon Johnson
With Sunday's loss, Johnson just completed his worst season as a pro. Injuries clearly played a significant role in that, but there were several instances in which it seemed to be a matter of effort. Unfortunately, that continued to be the case in the playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams routinely exploited Johnson with outside zone, especially late in the game, knowing that he would either be late or wouldn't show up at all. He failed to provide much support and was often on the wrong side of a business decision.
Johnson was supposed to make a massive impact on Dennis Allen's defense. Instead, he was a liability even when he was healthy. All in all, he played in just seven regular-season games, logging 17 total tackles, two passes defensed, and one interception. His Pro Football Focus grade (58.7) ranked 72nd among 114 eligible cornerbacks.
What puts the Bears in a tough spot moving forward is that Johnson still has two years left on his contract, and he will come with a $25 million cap hit for next season. The Bears also owe him a $7.6 million signing bonus that will go into effect on the third day of the league year, so they will probably want to move on from him before that. Also, they can create $7 million in cap savings by cutting him, but that number would rise to $16 million if they wait until June 1.
Given how he's fared this season, it should be an easy decision at this point. Granted, he used to be one of the best players on the team, but, unfortunately, that's not the case anymore. He allowed a 72.7 percent catch rate, gave up 256 yards, and had a questionable effort more often than not. Maybe he can return to his old self with a full offseason to restore his body, but the financial risk of bringing him back may not be worth it.