Prior to the Bears’ Week 11 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago officially designated star cornerback Jaylon Johnson to return from Injured Reserve — the clearest sign yet that one of the most important players in the building is on the verge of coming back.

Johnson practiced Friday, opening a 21-day window for the Bears to activate him. That timeline puts his latest possible return right before Chicago’s Week 14 matchup with the Green Bay Packers. If that holds, the Bears defense is about to get a massive, season-altering lift.

And they desperately need it.

Chicago’s defense has cratered without Johnson and several other key starters, allowing explosive plays at a rate that simply doesn't happen when its Pro Bowl corner is on the field.

When Johnson first suffered the groin injury — and especially when it was announced surgery would be required — there was legitimate fear that he might be done for the year. The Bears remained quietly hopeful they could get him back before the end of the regular season, but even that felt optimistic. Fans were just hoping Chicago could tread water long enough to still be in the fight once their top corner returned.

And here they are: 6–3 on the day Jaylon Johnson returns to practice. Currently holding a playoff position in the NFC. Even in the worst-case scenario, the Bears would be 6–6 with a heavy slate of divisional games remaining by the time he’s back in uniform. That’s a survivable position — and it’s far better than what anyone feared a month ago.

Johnson had teased a potential return with social-media clips earlier in the week, but having him back this soon is an unexpected gift. A late-December return felt realistic. Early December? That’s a dream scenario for Dennis Allen’s defense.

Ben Johnson even cracked a grin while telling reporters his top cornerback would be back on the practice field. It’s hard blame him — getting Jaylon Johnson back is essential to the Bears playing their best football in December, something the head coach has prophesied for weeks now. 

Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) on X The Bears have opened Jaylon Johnson's 21-day practice window to return from injured reserve.

And Johnson is that good. The 2023 second-team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler has developed into one of the NFL’s premier man-coverage corners. Before the injury, he had allowed a passer rating under 60 in his coverage area since the start of 2022 — elite territory — while earning himself a four-year, $76 million contract extension during the 2024 offseason as one of the foundational players of Chicago’s defensive identity.

He’s not returning alone, either. Linebacker T.J. Edwards is expected back shortly, and Ben Johnson has remained optimistic about Kyler Gordon’s return before the end of the season. Those three are arguably the most impactful players in Dennis Allen’s unit.

With Chicago in the playoff race, the reinforcements couldn’t come at a better time. The Bears have survived. Now they’re getting healthier — and just in time for the stretch run.