Jaylon Johnson controls his Bears future entering a pivotal 2026 season

Chicago Bears veteran cornerback Jaylon Johnson has one year left on his contract after this season. However, that is not stopping him from going into the season with the understanding that he is in a contract year. Johnson noted that he understands the mechanics of the salary cap and that the team will have a hard time dealing with his current salary cap hit the way it is constructed.

Chicago Bears veteran CB Jaylon Johnson has big expectations for the 2026 season

Jaylon Johnson said he'd need a full offseason to feel like he's back to the player he was before needing core muscle surgery.

His training focused on the mechanics of running while he incorporated a lot of speed work and pilates into his routine.

Despite being under contract…
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) August 1, 2026

So, Johnson feels that he has to put out tape that shows he is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Then, the team would want to extend him rather than cut him.

There is a chance that Johnson can play well, the Bears can give him a raise, and his cap hit can drop. The cap hit is generated by the amount of money paid. So, if the team gives him a bonus upfront, they can spread that money across the back end of the deal.

It lowers the cap in the short term, and the team can deal with the back end as they are now. If Johnson plays well, they rip up the back end of the deal. Johnson gets a bonus upfront and a raise. Then, the Bears lower his 2027 cap hit.

However, if Johnson does not play well, the team is going to have to look to move him. He has a $25M cap hit. If they cut him, they only eat $9M in dead cap space. So, they could save $14M by letting him go.

Johnson was hurt last year, so if it was a second year in a row when he struggled, the team would not want to stand with that big of a cap hit.

So, Johnson is not on the last year of his deal. However, if he plays well, he will get extended. If he struggles, they will cut or try to trade him. Something will happen with this deal this season.

Johnson makes a good point that at his age he has plenty of time left to prove that he is still at the top of his game. A make or break season at age 27 is not the worst thing to head into. Still, the stakes are clearly high for Johnson this year. He can tie himself to the franchise as a potential lifelong Bear.

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