Bears to place franchise tag on Jaylon Johnson

Bears to place franchise tag on Jaylon Johnson

The Chicago Bears are expected to place the franchise tag on cornerback Jaylon Johnson, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter first reported Tuesday.

Schefter notes that the tag number would be approximately $19.8 million while trying to ink a long-term extension with their All-Pro corner. The Bears have the sixth-most cap space ($~56.5 million) available at the time of this publishing, per Spotrac.

Johnson was a second-round pick (No. 50 overall) in 2020 season, meaning he did not have the fifth-year option available to him. He tallied 36 combined tackles–31 solo–with 10 pass deflections, a career-most four interceptions (one pick-six) and one forced fumble in 14 games last year. For his career, he’s logged at least seven pass deflections in each season with at least 35 tackles.

Johnson is one of two corners to receive the tag this year–the other being Kansas City’s La’Jarius Sneed. According to general manager Ryan Poles, conversations regarding an extension for Johnson “are going well.”

Johnson has made it known previously that he wants to be the NFL’s highest-paid corner; currently, the NFL’s highest-paid corner, in terms of total dollars, is Cleveland’s Denzel Ward ($100.5 million) followed by New Orleans’ Marshon Lattimore ($97.6M), Baltimore’s Marlon Humphrey ($97.5M) and Dallas’ Trevon Diggs ($97.0 million). It’s all the more likely he nets a similar deal, but who knows, with how the free agent market changes year-to-year.

Do you think is a good move from Chicago? Let us know in the comments below!

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This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.

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