Chicago Bears could lose $76 million Pro Bowler in gut-wrenching fashion

The Chicago Bears were just eliminated by the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, so now, they will be heading into an offseason full of tough decisions.

The Bears unfortunately do not have a whole lot wiggle room under the salary cap right now, so they will have to make some difficult roster cuts in order to clear some space. Could that mean parting ways with one of their best players?

Cornerback Jaylon Johnson — who signed a four-year, $76 million contract extension with Chicago in March 2024 — has been floated as a potential cap casualty for the Bears, and Mike Payton of A to Z Sports feels that the two-time Pro Bowler could land with one of the worst teams imaginable: the Detroit Lions.

“Johnson is coming off a bad year and an injury, so the Bears are likely to cut bait. The Lions need cornerback depth, and if Johnson can get back to the player he was before 2025, he can help the Lions get some more revenge on the Bears in 2026,” Payton wrote. “The fact that he’s 27 means the Lions might be able to get a couple of years out of him.”

That could end up being disastrous for Chicago.

Will the Chicago Bears cut Jaylon Johnson?

The Bears certainly aren’t guaranteed to cut ties with Johnson, but knowing their unenviable financial situation, it’s something they may strongly consider.

It could end up coming back to haunt Chicago, as Johnson is a terrific player when healthy. He made back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances in 2023 and 2024, even notching Second-Team All-Pro honors in the former campaign after racking up 36 tackles, four interceptions and 10 passes defended.

However, staying on the field has always been difficult for the former second-round pick.

Johnson has played just one full season throughout his six-year NFL career, which came in 2024. Otherwise, he has averaged just 12.8 games per year, which simply isn’t going to work for the money he is making.

The University of Utah product appeared in just seven contests this season due to a groin injury, and he managed just a 58.2 coverage grade at Pro Football Focus during his actual playing time.

But given that Johnson is still young, there is a chance he goes on to have a huge year next season, and if that ends up being with the Lions, it would hurt that much more for the Bears.

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