Bears OTAs Attendance Report: Jaylon Johnson’s surprise attendance, one top defender is absent, plus a look at the injury list
Day 2 of organized team activities is in the books for the Chicago Bears with reporters in attendance on Thursday to give the updates on who was present, and who wasn’t, during voluntary workouts.
The Chicago Bears kicked off organized team activities on Wednesday with Thursday’s session being the first one with reporters in the building. Which means we got to hear from head coach Ben Johnson and select players, along with getting some updates from the on-field work.
That includes which players were, and were not, in attendance from the full 90-man roster. It’s worth mentioning that OTAs is still voluntary, with the mandatory portion of the offseason not slated to start until June 9.
That being said, the Bears got encouraging news on Wednesday regarding the availability of two top cornerbacks in Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. Let’s break down what that means for the team and the other notable attendance news.
Chicago Bears OTAs Attendance Report
Jaylon Johnson makes appearance despite missing previous voluntary workouts
Johnson’s appearance at OTAs is more notable than Gordon, who was reportedly dealing with a soft tissue injury (more on that later). Last week, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reported that Johnson had previously been absent from voluntary workouts this spring, which isn’t out of the ordinary for the team’s highest-paid corner. Johnson got married earlier this offseason, which is worth mentioning.
Despite all of the drama and building concerns going into OTAs, Johnson was out there on the field with the rest of his teammates again when practice kicked off on Wednesday.
“I appreciate him being here now with his teammates and getting to know them,” head coach Ben Johnson said Thursday when asked about the team’s top cornerback. “We have a lot of new faces in the building. You can’t overstate the importance of that – getting to know your buddy – because you’re going to lay it out on the line for them on game day. That’s what we’re looking to do right now.”
Johnson missed 10 games last season due to a groin injury that required surgery. When asked how Johnson was looking, the team’s head coach noted that he just got back in the building and he still hasn’t been able to check in on that. However, defensive backs coach Al Harris noted last week that he’s not concerned about any lingering physical issues when it comes to Johnson.
“I have no doubt that, fully healthy, we’ll get what we need to see,” Harris said last week of Johnson’s health status. “I have no doubt about that at all.”
Montez Sweat not seen in attendance with the rest of the team
While Johnson was back in attendance, one high-priced defender was noticeably missing from practice in defensive end Montez Sweat, the team’s highest-paid player based on base salary. Once again, it’s worth emphasizing that players are not obligated to attend this stage of the offseason program.
“Voluntary program, so everyone’s got different ways they want to go about their business,” Johnson explained.
However, the Bears do have limited bodies at the position. With Sweat not in attendance, the team only had three healthy pure defensive ends at practice in Austin Booker, Daniel Hardy, and Jamree Kromah.
Considering Johnson spoke with reporters before practice, it’s not entirely known whether Sweat was absent entirely from the team facilities or just inside due to injury.
Injury updates, including new players added to the list
Gordon, as previously mentioned, was back on the field during practice on Wednesday based on the clips posted by the social media team. On Thursday, Gordon went through warmups but did not take part in team drills, leaving him as a limited participant.
Veteran defensive back Cam Lewis exited the field alongside trainers during individual drills. That will be something worth monitoring.
Players not in attendance with previous injuries from the 2025 season included linebacker T.J. Edwards, linebacker Noah Sewell, offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo, defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, defensive end Shemar Turner, and offensive lineman Jordan McFadden.
Other players not in attendance (whether due to injury or other reasons) included running back Brittain Brown, rookie cornerback Malik Muhammad, and rookie linebacker Keyshaun Elliott.
Grady Jarrett shares his personal stance on being present during the offseason
Speaking with ESPN Chicago after practice, veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett shared some phenomenal insight on his personal belief about showing up during the offseason, even if he’s entering his 12th year in the NFL and second season with the Bears.
“Anytime we got an opportunity to try to put some work in and get better, I’m going to take it, man,” Jarrett explained. “I’m excited to be here getting in some good work everyday. Don’t nothing beat being around your teammates like that, so I’m loving it. . .
“Being in Year 12, I can see reasons for this and reasons for that. But, for me personally, I think it’s just important for me to be here. One because, more than anything I just love the staff here – whether it’s the strength staff or the coaching staff – coming into this building everyday is very special to me. On the serious note, I think it’s awesome to be able to put in work and have the team track your work throughout the year so they also know how to manage you throughout the year as well.”
That’s the kind of mindset you want from all of your players, especially the veterans. There’s a reason why Jarrett’s a two-time Pro Bowler with over a decade in this league, and why he was a first-year defensive captain in Chicago.