Star cornerback Jaylon Johnson returned to the practice field for the Chicago Bears on Friday, surprising just about everyone.

Johnson has missed nearly the entire 2025 season with a groin injury. He played only the first half of Week 2 against the Detroit Lions before reaggravating the injury, which ultimately required surgery and sent him to Injured Reserve.

Originally, the Bears feared Johnson could miss the entire season. But after further evaluation, the team held out hope that he might return sometime in late December.

So when Chicago suddenly opened Johnson’s 21-day window on Friday, the move sent shockwaves through Bears fans — and across the NFL.

Once that window opens, the team has 21 days to activate the player off IR. But Johnson’s post-practice injury designation raised even more eyebrows: he was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Vikings.

That got the gears turning. Was Chicago about to pull off the surprise of the year and bring back their All-Pro corner for a massive divisional matchup?

It always felt unlikely. Johnson had only one limited practice under his belt after missing nearly two months of football. Still, why would the Bears choose to open his window on Friday of all days?

Turns out, they weren’t prepping a surprise return. Multiple reports now confirm that Johnson has been downgraded to out and won’t play Sunday in Minnesota.

Bears Communications (@BearsPR) on X #Bears DB Jaylon Johnson (Groin) has been downgraded to OUT and remains on Reserve/Injured; Designated for Return.

Some fans online speculated that the Bears purposely opened the window on Friday so that Johnson’s 21-day period would line up with Week 14 against the Packers.

But even that theory doesn’t really add up.

Opening the window doesn’t force a player to wait the full 21 days. They could have activated Johnson at any point — including next week — had he been ready. Nothing about a Friday opening was required to make a Packers return possible.

Which leads back to the original question: Why this timing? Friday practices are typically lighter. The Bears travel Saturday, play Sunday, and then return to film and off-days on Monday and Tuesday. Their next real practice won’t come until Wednesday, November 19.

So why not wait until Wednesday to open the window and buy themselves four extra days of flexibility?

It’s strange. And right now, there’s no obvious explanation. Maybe Ben Johnson will shed some light on it this week. My best guess is that Chicago believed there was a legitimate chance for Johnson to play in the game. He's probably much closer to returning than anybody realizes.

If he never had a chance of playing, opening his window makes no sense. 

If you got your hopes up about seeing Johnson back on the field Sunday, this is probably a bit disappointing. But big picture? It’s still encouraging news for the Bears. This is a far quicker recovery than anyone expected.

Chicago will have its hands full in Minnesota — this defense has not looked built to handle Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison for four quarters. But the wait for the Bears’ top cornerback shouldn’t last much longer.