Jaylon Johnson Sends a Direct Message to the Bears Regarding a Contract Extension After His Self-Confident Gamble Paid Off
The Chicago Bears came very close to trading their star cornerback, Jaylon Johnson, at this year's trade deadline. However, amidst uncertain discussions about his future, they chose to retain the 24-year-old cornerstone. Johnson went on to have one of the best seasons of his career, performing like one of the NFL's top corners, and has positioned himself well as free agency approaches in March.
Having earned his first Pro Bowl appearance, Johnson was asked about his future plans during Saturday's practice. In his response to NFL.com, Johnson didn't hold back. While he loves playing for the Bears in Chicago, he also emphasizes the importance of receiving fair compensation for his services.
Johnson stated, "My heart's definitely in Chicago, but my mind's definitely on the money. So, we'll see if we can find a way to make both aspects align and get a deal done. I'm looking forward to what the future holds."
There's no ambiguity in that statement.
Johnson's stellar performance down the stretch has made it clear that he deserves a substantial long-term contract. As a Second-Team All-Pro, he doesn't need to play coy in public, and the Bears are aware of that as well. It's worth noting that if negotiations fail in the coming weeks, Chicago could resort to using its franchise tag, which would offer Johnson an $18.4 million salary for the next season, according to Over The Cap.
Both parties seem inclined to resolve this situation amicably and reach a mutually beneficial deal. It remains to be seen whether Johnson and the Bears can come to terms before the March 5 tag deadline.
Here's how Twitter reacted to Johnson's candid statement about his contract negotiations with the Bears.
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