The Chicago Bears are entering the most important stretch of the season, but there are some concerns around cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Although he has been active for the last three games, his play hasn't been up to par with what fans are used to seeing.
When speaking to reporters on Wednesday, via Matt Zahn of CBS Chicago, Johnson revealed that he still doesn't feel like his normal self, saying that "certain movements don't feel like they used to."
That's massive for Chicago, as Johnson is their best cornerback when healthy, but based on what he's saying, there's no telling if he'll be 100% for the rest of this season.
Jaylon Johnson’s Health Should Be a Cause for Concern
Johnson added that he's getting closer to himself but wants to return to being dominant on the field. Considering that he underwent core muscle surgery in September while also dealing with a groin injury, it makes sense why he could be having difficulties making all the sudden moves that come with playing cornerback in the NFL.
And the numbers back up his underwhelming production. According to Pro Football Focus, he has a 57.9 overall grade and 57.3 coverage grade. While he hasn't played more than 35 defensive snaps in any game this season, he has still allowed six catches for 130 receiving yards (21.7 yards per reception).
In games against the Packers and Browns, Johnson was seen getting beaten fairly easily by Christian Watson and Jerry Jeudy. On the route by Jeudy, Johnson was lucky that the Browns receiver dropped a perfectly thrown pass that Johnson took away as an interception. As for Watson, Johnson didn't put up much resistance to slow him down.
The Utah product added that he needs more reps, which is true since he missed all of training camp and 10 games during the regular season. But with games against the Packers, 49ers, and Lions to close out the campaign, the wiggle room isn't there. The Bears need him to play at the highest level, but those expectations should be tempered.
He'll be matched up against receivers like Watson, Jayden Reed, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jameson Williams while playing against an offensive genius in Kyle Shanahan. All of these matchups will be tough and will require Johnson to make plenty of subtle movements and tweaks. He's saying that he needs more time to strengthen the muscles, and games allow him to do that the most. Whether or not he can be effective will be something to watch for Bears fans. Every game matters from here on out, though, only adding more pressure on Johnson to perform.