Jaylon Johnson is one of the best and most impactful cornerbacks in the National Football League. And if anyone needs proof, just spend a few minutes watching the Chicago Bears’ defense in 2025.

The two-time Pro Bowl corner originally sustained a groin/adductor injury during offseason training, which landed him on the non-football injury list before camp. He eventually returned, but only suited up for one game — playing 20 snaps against the Detroit Lions in Week 2 before re-aggravating the groin injury that required surgery.

It’s no coincidence that the Bears defense, which allowed 21.8 points per game in 2024, has given up 27.4 points per game this season — ranking among the NFL’s bottom five.

It’s no coincidence that 40-year-old Joe Flacco diced up Chicago for 470 passing yards a few weeks back, or that this defense has looked lost without its anchor.

Jaylon Johnson meant that much — and his absence has left a massive, $76 million void.

Chicago is lucky to be 6–3 right now, but if the Bears truly want to emerge as playoff contenders through a tougher stretch of the schedule, they’ll need reinforcements. With the trade deadline behind them, the only realistic source of help is players returning from injury.

At one point, Johnson’s groin injury was thought to be season-ending. After getting a second opinion, doctors ruled him out “indefinitely,” with only an outside chance of returning late in the year. All Bears fans could do was hope the team would tread water long enough to get the heartbeat of their defense back.

Now, it looks like that hope might be turning into reality.

Recent updates indicate Johnson is back working out at Halas Hall and hopeful for a return. He even teased fans on social media about coming back sooner than expected — posting a workout video on his Instagram story with the caption:

“They said Jaylon Johnson was out indefinitely, nahhhhh.”

Bearsszn (@bearszn) on X Bears CB Jaylon Johnson continues to push for a return this season. He was seen putting in some work with the caption: “They said Jaylon Johnson was out indefinitely, nahhhhh ⚡️🫡” Could he be making a return sooner than we think? 👀 📸: footdoctor_moe via IG Story

Johnson’s message was clear: he plans to be back on the field sooner rather than later.

Head coach Ben Johnson didn’t offer a specific timeline when asked about his top corner during a recent press conference, but did confirm both Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon are expected to return by season’s end.

“I just saw Jaylon in the weight room,” Ben Johnson said Wednesday. “He’s excited about where he is right now and hopeful he’ll be able to be out on the practice field in the near future.”

Once Johnson officially returns to practice, the Bears will have a 21-day window to activate him from Injured Reserve.

For every fan in Chicago, that day can’t come soon enough.