To say that the Chicago Bears didn't live up to the standard in Week 5 would be a massive understatement. Ben Johnson's team had its second no-show of the season, and this was particularly concerning.
While some offensive struggles without Caleb Williams are to be expected, the Bears' defense regressed tremendously in this one. It was so bad that one can only wonder whether the first month of the season was a mirage.
That was particularly the case with the secondary, and even Jaylon Johnson, who was once extremely reliable, looked like a liability. To add insult to injury, there's nothing the Bears can do about it right now.
The Bears are stuck with two bad outside cornerbacks
Johnson gave up three catches on four targets for 53 yards. He looked absolutely washed against a speedy guy like Matthew Golden, giving him 10 yards after the catch and struggling to stay in front of him.
All in all, Johnson has been one of the worst cornerbacks in the league this season. In fact, Pro Football Focus gave him a 46.4 grade, ranking 87th among 102 eligible players at the position. His coverage grade (39.9) has been the fifth-worst in the league.
Through five weeks, the veteran cornerback has given up 15 receptions, 16.5 yards per reception, and an opposing quarterback rating of 118.8. He doesn't have a single interception, and he's often been on the wrong side of a big play.
However, with a dead cap value of $33,152,380, there's just no realistic way the Bears can think about parting ways with him. And with Tyrique Stevenson also struggling on the other side of the field, one can only wonder how long it will take for teams to expose the Bears' secondary.
Jordan Love had all day to stand in the pocket, move around, and find his receivers in stride. They all got plenty of separation on Johnson and Malik Muhammad, and with not many realistic trade options available, this might be this team's new reality.
Johnson is just 27. He's supposed to be in his physical prime, yet this is probably the worst football he's played since he entered the league. This secondary was supposed to get better with Kyler Gordon's return, but the team might have different and bigger problems now.
Even with a rough outing, Muhammad could probably give this team more than Stevenson on the outside, but how to replace Johnson if he can't get it together? It's still early in the season, but DB coach Al Harris has some work to do with him.
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