Bears continue to invest in defense by keeping CB Johnson on a 4-year deal

The Chicago Bears have reached a four-year contract extension with their cornerback Jaylon Johnson, the team announced on Thursday.

According to ESPN, the deal is worth $76 million in total, including $54 million in guaranteed money. Johnson will earn $43.8 million as a signing bonus and will make another $28 million in the first year.

"We're extremely excited to be able to keep Jaylon here for the next four years," Ryan Poles, the Bears' general manager, said in a statement. "He's an integral part of our defense and his leadership will help our team continue to ascend."

The Bears placed the nonexclusive franchise tag on Johnson only on Tuesday, but Poles had expressed confidence in retaining the 24-year-old newly-selected Pro Bowl and Second-team All-Pro member.

Having played 14 games for the Bears last season, all as a starter, Johnson posted a career-high four interceptions, including a pick-six, 36 tackles, defended 10 passes and forced one fumble.

The Bears were 7-10 in the 2023 campaign, failing to make the playoffs for the third straight season. Johnson aside, the team has signed long-term extensions with three defenders in the past year. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds inked a four-year, $72 million deal in March 2023. Defensive end Montez Sweat, who was traded to the Bears by the Washington Commanders in the middle of the 2023 season, signed a four-year, $98 million extension.

The Bears have five picks in the coming NFL Draft that will take place from April 25 to 27 in Detroit, Michigan, including two in the first round, the No. 1 pick from the Carolina Panthers and the No. 9 of their own. Three quarterbacks (QBs), Caleb Williams from the University of Southern California, Jayden Daniels from the Louisiana State University, and Drake Maye from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, are part of ESPN's top-five rankings for the draft.