Report: NFL Community Perplexed by Chicago Bears' ''Concerning'' Pre-Free Agency Choice
Just six days before the opening of the 2024 NFL free agent market, the Chicago Bears successfully secured a long-term extension with one of their cornerstone players.
Yesterday, the Bears and Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson reached an agreement on a lucrative four-year contract extension valued at $76 million. This deal came shortly after Chicago utilized the franchise tag on the 24-year-old.
At first glance, the deal appears to be reasonable for a four-year veteran who recently enjoyed his most impressive season yet. However, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, several league insiders expressed confusion regarding Johnson's decision to accept this deal:
"Even with the information available, there's a hint of concern - and numerous league insiders are discussing it. The contract carries an average annual value of $19 million. Johnson could have earned $19.8 million this year and, if tagged again in 2025, $23.76 million.
That would total $43.56 million over two years. The customary approach when converting a franchise tag into a long-term agreement is to ensure full guarantees for the first two years of the tag at the time of signing.
Perhaps this is the case here. Maybe the contract is front-loaded. However, at present, there are legitimate inquiries regarding whether Johnson received fair compensation for forfeiting the $19.8 million tag in 2024 and the possibility of a 20-percent raise if tagged again."
| POLL | ||
9 MARS | 106 ANSWERS Report: NFL Community Perplexed by Chicago Bears' ''Concerning'' Pre-Free Agency Choice Do you trust Ryan Poles? | ||
| Yes | 95 | 89.6 % |
| no | 11 | 10.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
