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5 breakout stars to watch for Chicago Bears in 2021

By Mike Phillips

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 20: David Montgomery #32 of the Chicago Bears runs with the ball in the fourth quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 20, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 20: David Montgomery #32 of the Chicago Bears runs with the ball in the fourth quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 20, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) /
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Jaylon Johnson, Chicago Bears
DETROIT, MI – SEPTEMBER 13: Jaylon Johnson #33 of the Chicago Bears (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) /

These five players could be breakout stars for the Chicago Bears in 2021.

The heat is on for the Chicago Bears, who are facing the pressure of having to make a serious playoff push in 2021. Chicago may not be among the Super Bowl favorites in the NFC but failing to build off an 8-8 team that lost in the Wild Card round could lead to the end of the road for GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy.

There is a reason for optimism, however, since there is a lot of young talent on the Bears roster that can help the team get better simply through some internal improvement. Let’s take a look at five key players who can be breakout stars for Chicago this season, beginning with cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

5. Chicago Bears breakout stars – CB Jaylon Johnson

Rookie cornerbacks tend to experience some rough moments in their first NFL season and Johnson was no exception. Opposing teams regularly looked to attack Johnson but those reps did give him some valuable experience.

Johnson did make an impact in 2020, recording 15 passes defensed, which was the sixth-best mark in that category in the entire NFL. A regular offseason should also be a huge help for Johnson, who can continue to grow in the Bears’ defensive system, which will now be run by former safeties coach Sean Desai.

Having a defensive coordinator with a background coaching in the secondary could also be a boon to Johnson, who could receive more tailored coaching from Desai this season. If Johnson can make a huge leap forward in his second season it would be a major boost to Chicago’s defense.

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