The projected salary for Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson under the franchise tag for the 2024 season is expected to be around $17 million.

General manager Ryan Poles has emphasized that Johnson will remain with the team, indicating confidence in reaching a long-term extension agreement or utilizing the franchise tag as a backup plan.

Teams employing the franchise tag have until mid-July to finalize a long-term deal with the player. Failure to reach an agreement by then would result in the player playing the entire 2024 season under the one-year tag.

For Johnson, if the Bears opt to use the franchise tag on him and are unable to secure a long-term deal by the deadline, he would receive a salary equivalent to the average of the top five salaries at his position. With the 2024 salary cap now confirmed at $255.4 million, the specific numbers for the franchise and transition tags for the upcoming season have also been established.

Should the Bears proceed with placing the franchise tag on Johnson and not reach a long-term agreement in time, he would earn $19.8 million for the 2024 season.

While the preference is to reach a mutually beneficial long-term agreement, the franchise tag remains a viable option for Poles and the Bears organization.