Bears CB Jaylon Johnson eyes trade deadline to settle contract extension
CHICAGO (CBS) – Two weeks ago, the Bears secondary was finally healthy. This week, safety Eddie Jackson was limited in practice with a nagging foot injury while illness has kept fellow safety Jaquan Brisker sidelined.
CBS 2's Matt Zahn had the latest on a healthy Bears cornerback who is waiting for a bid payday, be it in Chicago or elsewhere.
Jaylon Johnson is coming off maybe his best game as a professional, and he made it clear he wants a new contract extension. Johnson is in the final year of his rookie deal and pointed to next Tuesday's trade deadline as a bit of a cutoff to get a new deal done.
"We're going to see by the end of this weekend," he said. "I know at the end of the day it's he said, she said, we're in talks, not in talks. At the end of the day, we're going to see if something gets done by the trade deadline. If I happen to get traded, then I get traded. If not, then I get extended, hopefully, and if not, then I just got to continue to play. There's plenty of options that this can go in, but we're all going to see. I'm waiting to see as well."
Johnson said he's looking for security and respect. He wouldn't get into specifics about money, but added he wouldn't say the Bears gave him an offer he didn't like.
Zahn: "Are you happy with the way talks have gone?"
Johnson: "It's, I feel, has been slower than what I would have expected. Of course, I would want something as early as possible heading into the season. I'm not really caught up in exactly how I want it, but just hope it plays out the way it needs to."
Johnson made it clear that the contract talk and looming trade deadline aren't weighing on him. He said, "I sleep great at night."