Jaylon Johnson wants to remain a Chicago Bear. That tune hasn’t changed. “I’ve said that since I got here,” Johnson reiterated Wednesday, a day after the Bears gave him permission to seek a trade that never materialized before Tuesday’s deadline. Bears general manager Ryan Poles would love to keep Johnson as part of the team’s core as he tries to build a championship contender at Halas Hall. Poles’ big-picture stance hasn’t changed either. “I don’t want to lose Jaylon Johnson,” he said.
“I have some personal goals I want to achieve. And then from there, we’ll figure that out when that time comes.” Johnson was asked if, given the way negotiations with the Bears have transpired, he is now eager to hit free agency when his rookie deal expires in March. He smiled and nodded. “One hundred percent,” he said. What remains unknown is where the Bears have set their value on Johnson compared with how the cornerback values himself.