Bears HC Ben Johnson Speaks on Jaylon Johnson's Play This Season

The Chicago Bears are currently paying Jaylon Johnson a four-year deal worth $76 million per Spotrac. 

He hasn't lived up to that contract so far this season. On Thursday Night Football alone, he had a number of plays where he made crucial mistakes. 

Whether it was missing a tackle on Rhamondre Stevenson just before halftime, which led to a touchdown, or getting juked out by Drake Maye, Johnson was not himself in that game. 

Johnson has started every game for the Bears, but after the last game, he may benefit from sitting on the bench to regain his focus. 

The star cornerback has 19 total tackles, one TFL and one forced fumble this season. 

Head coach Ben Johnson was asked to critique Johnson's play this year. He noted that it's been inconsistent for Johnson but said that the team is constantly evaluating players. 

"There's been some ups and downs," Johnson said. "And so, just like everybody, we're evaluating at the end of each game. Winning performance versus losing performance. And like I alluded to with Daniel Hardy, he's a prime example. Guys that are stepping up in their opportunities. They want more playing time. And so, that's the case, that we do offense, defense and special teams each and every week, and we'll continue to do that." 

Johnson missed most of last season with a groin injury. Now that he's back, he isn't playing up to expectations. 

Johnson obviously wasn't the only corner who had a bad game on Thursday Night Football, but you'd like to see more from someone that you are paying $76 million to over four years. 

We saw the secondary cost the Bears games multiple times last season. In the matchup with the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field last year, Christian Watson had 89 receiving yards and two touchdowns. 

Even in the Bears' wins, covering the Packers' receivers was an issue. Romeo Doubs had 84 receiving yards and one touchdown in the 22-16 overtime win the Bears had.

Then in the playoffs, Doubs torched the secondary again. Doubs had 124 receiving yards and one touchdown in the comeback win in the playoffs. 

In both games against the Detroit Lions in 2025, the Bears let Amon-Ra St. Brown finish with over 100 receiving yards. 

To some people, Johnson playing this way at this point in the season may not seem like a big problem. This is the kind of play that can cost the Bears later in the year when playoff spots are on the line. 

The Bears were fortunate that they didn't lose the division lead at the end of last season after they lost their final two games. 

The secondary was very inconsistent and definitely played a part in those losses. Johnson needs to start playing like the star cornerback that he is, or this Bears team may suffer again late in the year, as they did in 2025. 

There's still plenty of football left, but this is not the kind of performance you'd expect from a player like Johnson. 

We'll see if he can recover on Monday Night Football, as the Bears take on the Seattle Seahawks.