NFL Rumors: 3 Jaylon Johnson landing spots in 2024 free agency
If shutdown cornerback Jaylon Johnson and the Chicago Bears can't agree on a long-term deal, these three landing spots are ideal destinations for the Pro Bowler.
By Lior Lampert
Not often does a player firmly in their prime at such a premium position have an opportunity to hit the open market, but that’s a possibility for Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
Johnson, who is entering his age-25 season, broke out in a big way in 2023, finishing as PFF’s No. 1 graded cornerback (90.8) en route to earning his first career Pro Bowl nod.
In 14 games, Johnson recorded 36 combined tackles, 10 pass deflections, four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), and a forced fumble while allowing a 31.0 passer rating when targeted.
While Johnson has gone on the record to say that his “heart’s definitely in Chicago,” he followed it up by saying that his “mind’s definitely on the money.”
Bears general manager Ryan Poles has also stated that “Jaylon’s [Johnson] not going to go anywhere,” so there seems to be mutual interest in finding common ground on a long-term deal.
However, if for some reason a deal is not reached, these are three ideal landing spots for Johnson in free agency.
3. Tennessee Titans
If Johnson’s mind is truly on the money, the Tennessee Titans present an opportunistic destination. They have the second-most cap space in the NFL as things stand with roughly $80 million to work with. The Titans can make Johnson one of the league’s highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL and beat out virtually any team in a bidding war if they need to.
Moreover, cornerback is a position of need for Tennessee, considering the team’s struggles defending the pass in 2023 and the pending free agency of starters Kristian Fulton and Sean Murphy-Bunting. The Titans ranked 29th in opponent completion percentage (67.78) and 23rd in yards per attempt allowed (6.8) this past season.
With first-year head coach Brian Callahan now taking over, the Titans could benefit from signing Johnson and giving their new coach as much talent to work with as possible. Tennessee has an opportunity to spend big on free agents while their quarterback, 2023 second-round pick Will Levis, is still on a rookie-scale contract.
This pairing makes sense for both sides, with Johnson potentially getting the big payday he is seeking and the Titans addressing an area of need while maximizing the talent surrounding their rookie head coach and second-year quarterback while the latter carries a $2-3 million cap hit over the next three seasons.