Jaylon Johnson has been one of the staple players of the Chicago Bears for the greater part of the last decade of football. The 27 year old cornerback has survived a plethora of regime changes through the franchise, and for better or worse, remains standing.
Sports Illustrated's Jerry Markarian recently named Johnson one of the top Bears candidates to reach All-Pro honors. Johnson was most recently in All-Pro talks back in 2023 when he was named second team. But does Johnson have what it takes to really come back to the level he's shown before?
Setting the standard
In the face of a groin/core injury, Johnson only participated in seven games in 2025, limiting his capacity for contribution to the success of the team. Though being activated in November to play, Johnson was never quite right, only amassing 17 total tackles for the season. 2024 saw Johnson record a personal high of 53 total tackles, 42 of which were solo.
The Bears have spent much of the offseason rebuilding the defense. Dennis Allen has done an excellent job with a revolving door of a defense, but now with many incoming young players, veteran guys like Johnson suddenly become invaluable. Not only should Johnson stand alone as an individual leader on the secondary, but he should be a bridge between the young rookies to the senior coaching.
Being an asset to the team in terms of locker room leadership alone isn't enough to earn All-Pro. Johnson will need to tap into his old self to get that accolade back in his corner. Though it may seem a tough road ahead during the offseason, a few good games to start the season could catapult Johnson to be well positioned for league-wide honors.
Johnson has already shown he can perform at an All-Pro level, making his path back to that conversation much clearer than most players chasing the honor. If he returns to full health while helping lead a revitalized Bears defense, his name should once again be among the league's best cornerbacks.
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