Tag Archives: Jaylon Johnson

Rumors

Bears Urged to Take Proactive Stance With Cole Kmet

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The Chicago Bears’ aggressive offseason moves could put the squeeze on one of their incumbent players.

“[Tight end Cole] Kmet might be more valuable to another team,” argued Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine on May 31. “If someone is willing to pay up for him in the final year of his rookie contract, the Bears should be willing to listen.”

Bears ‘Should Be Willing to Listen’ to Trade Offers for Former Top Pick

Cole Kmet’s Production Could Suffer in Revamped Offense

Ballentine’s argument comes from several factors, most notably the addition of D.J. Moore to the wide receiver room that has Darnell Mooney coming back after ankle surgery. Chase Claypool is in Year 2 and will have a full offseason with the team. Even more directly, they added former Green Bay Packer Robert Tonyan at tight end.

There’s also the matter of Kmet’s production.

As the Bears’ passing game went into the tank last season, Kmet’s targets fell by nearly 30%. He still did a lot of damage through the air with seven touchdowns. That was tied for the third-most among tight ends.

The former second-round pick (No. 43 overall in 2020) was Chicago’s first selection in his class. He is heading into the final year of his contract. There was word of contract talks in the spring.

“Just little talks here and there,” Kmet said, per Alex Shapiro of NBC Chicago on March 9. “They’ve got a lot to get done, obviously with the draft, free agency, all those things. Really wouldn’t expect much to happen, maybe until summer, really until after free agency settles and the draft, so we’ll see where it goes.”

Kmet, 24, is one of two tight ends in Bears history to record at least 130 receptions and 1300 yards over the first 50 games of his career, per Stathead, joining Greg Olsen. Zooming out, only 56 other tight ends in NFL history have achieved that mark to start their careers.

Jaylon Johnson Will Be at OTAs ‘For Sure’

Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson appeared on Keyshawn, JWill, & Max on June 1 to talk about a variety of topics, including his charity work for his non-profit, Kevvy’s Vision Project, and other such acts.

He also shed some light on his absence from OTAs ahead of a pivotal contract season.

Johnson, 24, was selected seven picks after Kmet in the 2020 NFL Draft. This regime does not have any ties to him (or Kmet for that matter) beyond his injury-shortened 2022 campaign. He has one career interception and has logged just one more pass breakup over the last two seasons (16) as he had as a rookie in 2016.

But Johnson has also gotten a vote of confidence from the Bears’ greatest tormentor, Aaron Rodgers. The now-New York Jets passer called the corner a “premier player” after their matchup in December.

Johnson said that he will be at the next set of OTAs “for sure”.

For what it’s worth, he has a little added motivation to show up and show out with the team drafting another perimeter corner in Tyrique Stevenson and 2022 second-rounder and projected nickelback Kyler Gordon admitted that he misses playing on the outside.

The Bears’ next set of OTAs will take place from June 5 through June 8 with veteran minicamp slated to take place the following week at which point Johnson was already expected back.

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Bears’ Jaylon Johnson Clarifies Stance on Contract Extension Amid Absence

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This is undoubtedly a big season for the Chicago Bears and a player like cornerback Jaylon Johnson. But he’s not letting a potentially volatile situation weigh on him.

Johnson, 24, is heading into the final year of his rookie contract.

“It used to be a lot of pressure,” Johnson admitted on ESPN’s Keyshawn, J Will, & Max on June 1. “Going into my third year, I felt like that was a year for me to put myself out there to be able to have a new contract, to be able to re-up. I think for me, it’s just about going out and being who I am. And, for me I know I can be a dominant corner – I am a dominant corner in this league.”

Jaylon Johnson Feeling ‘No Pressure’ Ahead of Contract Season

As a former second-round pick (No. 50 overall, 2020), there is no fifth-year option to pick up. Johnson and the Bears will have to agree on a new deal before the end of the year. Otherwise, they risk the fourth-year man out of Utah walking for nothing in free agency.

Johnson missed the final three weeks of the 2022 season with a broken ring finger. But he recently declared himself “100% back” in an interview with ABC 30 sports anchor Alec Nolan on May 21.

Bears’ Jaylon Johnson Makes Bold Declaration Ahead of Critical Season: ‘100%’

Johnson has been absent from OTAs to this point.

But he attributed it to his many charitable endeavors including Kevvy’s Vision Project.

“Just finding ways to continue to do my job at a higher rate, continue to be a better teammate, continue to find ways to win,” Johnson told the KJM crew. “At the end of the day, that’s all I want to do.”

Jaylon Johnson Backs Up David Montgomery’s Comments

Former Bears running back David Montgomery – who signed with the NFC North rival Detroit Lions this offseason – caught some flack over comments he made regarding his time in Chicago, saying all of the losing the team did in his four years sucked the fun out of playing football.

Johnson, who played with Montgomery for three of those seasons confirmed the circumstances at the very least if not the underlying sentiment that players want to be competitive.

“I haven’t had a winning season since I’ve been a Chicago Bear yet,” Johnson said on KJM. “I want to come in and be a dominant guy in the league, I want to dominate on this defense, and I want to come in and change that narrative.

“With winning come’s paychecks. And, I think at the end of the day, I need to focus on winning and that’s what I’m worried about going into Year 4.”

The Bears will need more than just Johnson to get out of the shadows of the 3-14 season they had in 2022.

Their aggressive offseason moves should go a long way to helping them achieve that, though.

“We heading in an upward projection, for sure,” said Johnson. “I feel like there’s nothing that I think we don’t have right now…We just got to come in and keep proving ourselves. Coming and keep finding ways to try and win games.”

Johnson noted the Bears’ additions on both lines, at wide receiver with D.J. Moore and rookie Tyler Scott, and even noted the added depth of rookie Tyrique Stevenson.

“We’re building from the ground up,” he said. “We have a good foundation with our offense.”

Justin Fields is ‘Progressing Really Well’

All of the feel-good statements coming out of OTAs about the Bears won’t mean anything if third-year quarterback Justin Fields is unable to take the necessary steps as a passer this season. He has had coaches say good things about him but Johnson spoke to it from a teammate’s perspective.

“I think he’s progressing really well,” Johnson said. “I expect for him to shine.”

Johnson credited Fields’ intangibles like toughness and leadership and noted that being in Year 2 in the Bears’ offense under offensive coordinator Luke Getsy will pay dividends.

“It’s one thing to have a coach come in your rookie year, you have to learn a new system. And for him to be fired and you have to go into a new system. It’s like you never really have a chance to get comfortable.

“I think he’s extremely comfortable now, and extremely confident [and] I think he can be very dangerous. And you’ll see a lot of that dominant quarterback play that you saw at Ohio State.”

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Bears’ Jaylon Johnson Makes Bold Declaration Ahead of Critical Season: ‘100%’

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Fourth-year Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson is heading into the final year of his contract after missing the final three weeks of last season with a broken ring finger.

He also missed three games earlier in the season with a quad injury.

Jaylon Johnson Updates Status of Broken Finger

“100%, fully back,” Johnson told ABC 30 sports anchor Alec Nolan in a feature highlighting the charity the Bears corner started in honor of his late best friend, Kevvion Schrubb, who was shot and killed nearly two years ago. “I’m ready to go.”

Johnson finished the campaign without an interception but deflected seven passes, forced one fumble, and recovered one as well. Johnson also held his assignments below a 60% catch rate in his coverage for the third straight season.

He was the only Bear out of 41 defenders to see at least 50 targets and hold opposing quarterbacks below a 60% completion rate while also starting at least 10 games last season.

The former second-round pick (No. 50 overall) had the second-highest Pro Football Focus grade among the Bears’ secondary.

Only safety Eddie Jackson – who missed the final five weeks of the season after suffering a Lisfranc injury against the New York Jets in Week 12 – was better. Jackson also appears to be on track to return and is still one of the top playmakers when healthy.

Jackson recorded four interceptions last season, his most since his All-Pro 2018 season and the second-highest total of his career. The 29-year-old former fourth-round pick (No. 112 overall in 2017) also deflected six passes and forced two fumbles.

They make up 2/5 (considering most teams play a lot of nickel) of a re-tooled secondary that adds rookie Tyrique Stevenson to second-year defensive backs, Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon.

The Bears hope to be much improved over last season when they ranked 32nd in net yards per attempt last season.

Jaylon Johnson: Raiders’ Davante Adams the ‘Toughest Cover’

While he doesn’t have to face him twice a year anymore, Johnson still calls Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams the “toughest matchup” he’s faced.

Adams spent the first eight years of his career with the Bears’ most-hated rival, the Green Bay Packers. In 16 career games versus the Bears while a member of the Packers, Adams posted 1024 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns on 81 grabs, per Stathead, while helping guide them to a 14-2 record.

Last season for the Raiders, Adams posted his second consecutive season with over 1500 yards on 100 grabs while leading the league with 14 receiving touchdowns.

It is the second time in three years he’s led the NFL in receiving scores.

Adams’ trade last offseason was a precursor to Aaron Rodgers’ departure via trade to the New York Jets, and the hope is a shift in the balance of power in the NFC North that has seen the Packers on top more often than not.

The Detroit Lions look to be formidable and the Minnesota Vikings compete every season. But the Bears have been on the wrong side of the NFL’s oldest rivalry for too long.

Adams and the Raiders will travel to Soldier Field in Week 7.

Jaylon Johnson All About Giving Back

Johnson opened up about the mission of his non-profit which he says he hopes to bring to Chicago.

“I’m always home so it doesn’t feel different for me. It’s just where I’m supposed to be at. My family’s here, [the] community’s here, so I’m here. … Just helping and empowering families…We just want to be able to help the kids and the families. … I’m not on this Earth to just play football.”

The Bears kick off the 2023 season with a home date against Adams’ former team in the start of a new era for Green Bay with quarterback Jordan Love under center.

Rumors

The NFL’s Worst Off-Seasons of 2020

We are officially in the dead zone in the NFL off-season. Free agency and the draft are both in the rearview as organizations, players, and fans anxiously await the 2020-21 season. Whether or not it starts on time remains to be seen, but the NFL has acted as if things would proceed as normal. As such, we can–no, we are obliged to pass judgment on all that has transpired.

This will be a two-part exercise focusing on the best and worst laid plans from this off-season. We will begin with the bad news first, so apologies to any fans of the teams that follow. It may have been overpaying in free agency or reaching in the draft. It could be the opposite where a team was too frugal or patient and missed out on a prospect.

However you slice it, it wasn’t good….

Worst Offseasons of the NFL in 2020

3. Chicago Bears

Our countdown begins with the Chicago Bears. Coming off of a rather disappointing 2019 where they went 8-8, this is not what fans want to hear. They peaked in 2018, going 12-4, but fell back to Earth and have been trying to piecemeal their way back to prominence. That’s what happens when your general manager goes all-in on a project quarterback.

Trying to remedy their mishandling of the quarterback position with journeyman Nick Foles is less than inspiring. But when you add in the draft capital it took to get him, the deal triggers something worse. Robert Quinn should boost the pass rush so his big payday may well be justified. Jimmy Graham did well for himself to get the deal he did. Let’s just leave it at that.

The draft was a chance to make it right but opinions on if the Bears accomplished that. Chicago landed the draft’s top tight end but did so at the expense of higher-rated players at bigger areas of need like safety, a hole they filled with Tashaun Gipson. Their second pick, cornerback Jaylon Johnson received better reviews, even if tempered by his shoulder issue. The rest of the picks were developmental.

Chicago, operating under financial constraints of their own making, came out of the offseason without being substantially better on paper. Aside, perhaps, from Foles though they are largely counting on 2018 being closer to who they really are than the debacle of 2019. Well, that and scrap-heap offensive linemen. Not exactly encouraging.

2. Green Bay Packers

Staying in the NFC North for this one, the Green Bay Packers have seemed to be working multiple angles heading into the 2020 season. They ended 2019 one game away from the Super Bowl. But everything since has been with an eye towards the future. They traded up to take quarterback, drafted a running back in the second round and spent big money on a middle linebacker and right tackle.

General manager Brian Gutekunst has been much more active than his predecessor but this off-season was reminiscent of days past. Two of Green Bay’s acquisitions were linebacker Christian Kirksey and wide receiver Devin Funchess. Kirksey has only played in nine games the past two seasons while Funchess appeared in just one game for the Colts last season.

Their draft wasn’t bad in a vacuum, especially taking Love with a 36-year-old Aaron Rodgers. Brett Favre can attest to that. But the pick of a running back in AJ Dillon that, barring an injury, is the third-stringer. The Packers took their second pass-catching tight end in as many seasons but ignored the receiver room, opting for experience and internal improvement.

Green Bay’s off-season is saved by Love’s talent (regardless of any other factors) and Ricky Wagner. That’s a far cry from the praise they rightfully received last off-season. Teams don’t spend big every year. That would actually be a bad thing. But for a team that was so close to playing for a championship, this off-season has left a lot to be desired.

1. Houston Texans

You probably know where this is going. Anytime a team trades away a player that is ranked at or near the top of his position, you better have a damn good reason for doing so. For the Houston Texans, that reason appears to be Bill O’Brien; the head coach slash de-facto general manager. Not only that, but it doesn’t appear he has done enough to replace that player.

Rumored to be displeased with DeAndre Hopkins’ influence in the locker room and desire for a new deal, B.O.B. went bold. He traded the stud wideout to Arizona. This is where it gets weird. O’Brien felt compelled to take back the bloated contract of running back David Johnson. And you’d be forgiven if you felt Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb combined didn’t make up for the loss of Hopkins.

Even weirder, usually following a move such as the Hopkins trade, teams try to draft the next guy to replace them. It’s true Cooks and Cobb were brought in, but this was a deep class at receiver. Instead, the Texans replaced a different key cog in D.J. Reader. It’s never a bad thing to build in the trenches. But that idiom is usually reserved for guys who get after the quarterback.

Houston also ignored the offensive line outside of a fourth-rounder. That’s not enough, even with last year’s trade of Laremy Tunsil, for a team that ranked eighth in sacks allowed in 2019. O’Brien might be trying too hard to channel his inner Bill Belichick, fielding an offense without a true number one receiver. The problem is, when the Patriots had a chance to get a true number one in Randy Moss, they did. O’Brien is hustling backward.

Worst NFL Offseasons of 2020

This is just one half of the coin. In our next installment, we’ll address the best off-seasons. But it’s hard to ignore the holes in the plans of these organizations. Of course, they could always prove the doubters wrong. But these teams’ decisions make it seem like they are fighting demons of their own creation. That rarely ends well for those involved.

Rumors

2020 Chicago Bears NFL Draft Recap

The 2020 NFL Draft has come and gone, the most viewed televised draft in history. 55 million over the three days. I think it’s safe to attribute that to the nation’s quarantine policies and draft being completely virtual. Though it was an interesting outcome seeing commissioner Roger Goodell call out draft picks in his man cave from in front of his big-screen to his lounging chair by the third round. Another fun aspect was seeing the draftees and their families’ reactions when their names were called of new members of club NFL.

We even had comic relief, some of the best moments was seeing 17th pick wide receiver CeeDee Lamb showing off his hand-eye coordination by snatching his cellphone back from his girlfriend. How about defensive tackle, and 14th pick, Javon Kinlaw‘s father falling off the couch when his son was selected.

Lastly, and maybe the best one, was the 29th selection, offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson‘s mom yanking his girlfriend out the camera shot, (after she appeared to resist the first request).  This was one of the deepest drafts in recent memory, teams could find solid value through all seven rounds.  Only time will tell, let us not forget 20 years ago one of the greatest players in NFL history was found in the sixth round, Tom Brady.

2020 Bears Draft Recap

Mixed Emotions on Chicago Picks

Chicago’s draft was met with an array of feelings as the team decided for their first pick to opt for drafting the best of the worst, as far as depth, in this year’s crop.  That was at the tight end position, the 43rd-overall pick Cole Kmet from Notre Dame, the 6’5″ 250-pounder is expected to come in and contribute immediately.  Kmet did have an impressive junior year campaign amassing over 500 yards receiving and six touchdowns helping Notre Dame to an 11-2 record.  Fun fact: those six touchdowns were all he had for his college career.

The team’s second selection, 50th overall, was more of a relief, picking Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson, another junior who finished with 7 career interceptions.  The one big question surrounding Johnson is not his play but his health, he played the entire season with a torn labrum.  Chicago then maneuvered to move up to the third round to grab EDGE Trevis Gipson out of Tulsa.  A solid addition to provide more edge rush depth.  Here are the rest of the new Chicago Bears as follows:

The Bears also signed undrafted free agent Ledarius Mack, younger brother of star Khalil Mack.

What to Grade Chicago’s Draft: C+

Grading the Bears 2020 draft can be debated but that’s my mark on it.  Hey at least it’s a passing grade even though it started out shaky, they brought it up though.  The immediate response was, “What are you doing??” Needs for the team are offensive line, wide receiver, and secondary; specifically safety.  The team circumvented what direction they should’ve gone (see my previous article) but recovered some.  As you’ll see, predictions were dead on as two of them went 44th & 46th.

Initially, it started out as a D, drafting a tight end to an already overcrowded position which brought the number to 10 (since down to nine) on the roster.  Not to mention signing free agents Demetrius Harris and Jimmy Graham.  With Kmet added unless the plan is to convert some of the many tight ends to offensive linemen, maybe Adam Shaheen, expect to see no more than four on the roster.

Speaking of offensive line it appears the staff is content with the unit as is and the free agents from the clearance rack they invested in.  Seeing that the offensive line wasn’t addressed until the end of the draft.  Possibly the addition of the new offensive line coach, 24-year vet Juan Castillo, will add improvement.

General manager Ryan Pace made strong moves thereafter adding substantial depth on the defensive side of the ball snatching up corner Jaylon Johnson and moving into the third round to bolster pass rush getting Trevis Gipson.  He was even able to get considerable value in the fifth at wide receiver with Darnell Mooney, fast, he will need time to develop though.

What to Expect in 2020

With the current state of the sports world, it’s hard to gauge what to expect.  Any team-related activities are virtual, there’s no timetable of when facilities will be open for players and coaches to meet.  It’s an unprecedented time in the league right now, so we all have to play it by ear.  At least the other teams in the division drafts were lackluster except for the Minnesota Vikings.

If there is a silver lining it’s the signing of Ledarius Mack, we can have the “Mack Attack” here on the defense.  This could end up being Pace’s best move of this draft.  Mack’s journey to the NFL can be compared to Vikings Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle, who was drafted 30 years ago.  Talk about history repeating itself, Randle also had an older brother in the NFL, Ervin Randle.

It doesn’t stop there, the similarities of both Mack and Randle are uncanny!  Both were considered undersized at their positions at 6’1, Mack weighing 240 lbs and Randle 244 lbs.  Think of the possibilities of playing with and learning from your brother who’s a defensive player of the year and considered one of the best if not the best at his position.  We could soon be witnessing history here in the Windy City but time will tell.