One of the biggest questions of the Chicago Bears’ offseason is what happens with Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
The first route that comes to mind is the franchise tag, simply because Bears general manager Ryan Poles said back in January that he feels good about talks and Johnson isn’t going anywhere.
“We’ve had really good communication,” said Poles. “The big thing, was, just kind of take a break here after the season and then we’ll start talks again. I feel really good about the situation. Jaylon’s not going to go anywhere and we’ll work through it to get something done.”
Still, one never truly knows what will happen. Fortunately, the Bears will have an excellent backup plan in case things go awry with Johnson.
The Bears can go after Xavien Howard if Johnson isn’t tagged and departs in free agency
It was recently reported that the Miami Dolphins plan on releasing Howard when the new league year starts on March 13. Howard has been one of the NFL’s best corners over the last several years due to his ability to shadow the top target on an opposing offense. His athleticism, speed, and ballhawk qualities also added to the well-deserved résumé.
However, those aforementioned skills are on the decline as Howard turns 31 in July and it was pretty apparent throughout last year. His injuries certainly played a role in the dip, but the Dolphins weren’t willing to wait and find out when factoring Howard’s $25 million cap hit into the equation.
At this point, Howard is best suited as a zone corner. And guess what? The Bears are one of the zone-heaviest teams in the NFL and could certainly use his services if Johnson isn’t around anymore.
His ability to mirror receivers in man-to-man coverage slipped, maybe because he wasn’t 100 percent healthy (he missed four games). His speed and suddenness to catch up was only evident in flashes. He would fit best in a zone scheme where he can play off technique and use his above-average ball skills and reactions to make plays. – Randy Mueller, The Athletic
Per Pro Football Focus, no Bears corner with at least 100 coverage snaps played more than 19.6% of snaps in man coverage. And, if the Bears continue to build on the defensive line, which they absolutely should considering the hole on the opposite side of Montez Sweat, then new defensive coordinator Eric Washington will be inclined to call even more zone because he’ll be able to get home with four guys at a better rate.
Final word
It would make a lot of sense for this to happen and the Bears, like the rest of the NFL, were handed an extra $13 million in cap space after the league announced the salary cap is officially set at $255.4 million in 2024. It was previously projected to be $242 million for the upcoming season.
That extra bump currently puts the Bears at $78,335,157, per Over The Cap. Poles has mentioned before he’s not a huge fan of bringing in aging vets on the more expensive side of things, but it’s hard to see Howard costing more than $10-$12 million a year, at this point, which is more than affordable in the grand scheme of things.
Of course, though, there’s nothing to worry about if the Bears keep Johnson. But, at least it’s good to know the defense isn’t out of options if he leaves.
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