3 Bears Who Made History During the 2023 Season

Jaylon Johnson Sets Personal History

The argument can be made that the success and (hopefully) future of the Chicago Bears and their defense will go as cornerback Jaylon Johnson goes. The playmaker has the ability to dictate where a ball is thrown by the opposition because teams will go out of their way to avoid his coverage, and that was evident during this year.

Johnson got some outside recognition for his efforts this season, receiving his first selection as a Pro Bowler. Johnson had 36 tackles and 4 interceptions, but the stat sheet won't tell you how many times the opposing quarterback planned to go in Johnson's direction and was forced to pivot because of his lock-down coverage.

This offseason, the Bears and Johnson will be negotiating a contract extension. While they could opt to utilize the franchise tag on him, both sides are wanting to get a deal done. The Bears want Johnson long-term, and Johnson wants to be a Bear long-term. Seems like this is something that should be able to be done.

As the Bears plan for the future, there is no question the whole team would benefit from Johnson's contributions on defense. But if the Bears want him, they're still going to have to pay for him.

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