It’s one down, two to go for Jaylon Johnson.The Bears cornerback is now a Pro Bowl player after announcement Wednesday night of players who made it. He joins teammate Montez Sweat as a first-time Pro Bowl player and Johnson wants two more things.
First, he wants to be All-Pro. And, of course, he wants a contract for next year.
One he expects. The other he is still hopeful.
Asked if he feels like he earned All-Pro status, an awared voted on by Associated Press: “100%”
Earlier in the year Johnson said he wanted All-Pro more than Pro Bowl.
“One just outweighs the other one, but I mean, both of them are still prestigious awards,” he said. “So I mean, as far as All-Pro goes, that’s the one I want, I want more.
“But it was definitely still a good feeling to have. I think I’ll be able to soak it in more after the season is over with and then when I start planning to get down there. But right now I haven’t seen too many graphics or anything come down about it so it hasn’t fully hit me yet. I kind of just soaked it in internally, but I haven’t seen too much extra.”
As for a contract, “No, it shouldn’t have been there. We ain’t talked yet,” he said.
Johnson has a career-high four interceptions and is graded the No. 1 cornerback in the league by Pro Football Focus. All of this had to have a hand in his Pro Bowl status.
“Still trying to put that into words,” he said. “What does that mean? What does that mean? Honestly, just blessed, fortunate to be in the position to have the voting, to have the favor go my way. Just blessed.”
This week Johnson is suffering from a shoulder injury and hasn’t practiced but he’s not expecting it to keep him from facing the Packers. Like most Bears, he has never beaten Green Bay.
“Yeah, I’m gonna try to go, for sure,” he said.
Johnson gave out some credit for what he has done, and what the defense has done as a whole to the “Sweat Effect,” from Sweat’s pass rush.
“I mean, honestly, just a big contributing factor,” Johnson said. “Him just coming in bringing a different energy. Kind of indescribable. We didn’t necessarily know that we needed it until he came and it’s like, yeah, this is kind of somebody that we needed.
“Not just on the field–of course it’s great having him on the field–but just a good guy in the locker room to have, to be around. He’s a heck of a guy. I feel like you just kind of gravitate toward him and he gravitates toward us as well. So it’s been a good relationship, but him having an award as well, him having success, I think makes it all better.”
Sweat was as grateful for the first-time award as Johnson.
“Yeah, it’s definitely a relief,” Sweat said. “Definitely a respect thing. It’s nice to get noticed by the league and by your teammates. Yeah. It’s still a what-have-you done-lately league.”
He’s done a lot lately, but with six Bears sacks, he’s still a half-sack in Chicago behind where he left Washington at the midpoint. He has 12 1/2 for the year. It’s a career-high 12 1/2 sacks for him but he was sure not to forget to recognize his days with Washington’s Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne and new 49ers defensive end Chase Young.
“I miss those guys dearly, but I’m part of a new group now,” he said. “I just hope to lead this group to the best play possible.”
The same with how he feels about Justin Jones, DeMarcus Walker, Andrew Billings and the Bears front. They’ve been part of the Bears defense climbing to 12th in the league, No. 1 against the run.
“It’s pretty cool, but I don’t really want to take credit for what these guys have been able to do around here,” Sweat said. “Man, these boys have been stepping up. They’re playing their asses off.
“Credit to them. I’m the one getting the credit now, but it’s really all because of those boys.”
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