Jaylon Johnson has every right to be upset with the Bears.
After the Chicago Bears traded for Montez Sweat, Jaylon Johnson wasted no time basically warning against giving the pass-rusher an extension before him. That’s precisely what happened when Chicago rewarded Sweat with a four-year extension worth nearly $100 million total, with over $62 million guaranteed.
Johnson was asked about this development with Sweat after the Bears’ 24-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. While he said he was happy for Sweat and that his new teammate deserved the monster contract, the star cornerback declined to confirm whether it made matters awkward for him or changed his approach to any negotiations with Bears brass. Instead of saying anything concrete, Johnson said he was focused on earning an All-Pro selection not once but twice.
Uh, the Bears might be in a little bit of a pickle here. Check out the video featuring Johnson discussing his situation at the 2:08 mark below:
It’s hard to blame Johnson if he does indeed hold any resentment toward Bears leaders like general manager Ryan Poles. While he’s happy for Sweat, that doesn’t change the fact that Sweat has one whole game under his belt in Chicago. Johnson probably understandably feels he’s committed more to the Bears, and it’s apt if he feels slighted by how fast they moved with Sweat.
If Johnson does indeed earn an All-Pro bid — the first of his career — you have to imagine it would significantly shift the parameters of any contract talks. Bringing an honor that distinguishes the finest cornerbacks in pro football would give Johnson a lot of leverage in seeking a long-term deal. Unfortunately for the 24-year-old, the Bears could simply use their franchise tag in the event things go south with their franchise defensive back.
But that’s a worst-case scenario I imagine that Johnson definitely wants to avoid.
