Projecting Jaylon Johnson's contract for 2024 NFL free agency
The NFL's regular season is over, which for most teams, means it's time to start figuring out plans for the offseason.NFL free agency is a huge part of the process, and along with the NFL Draft, it has everyone preparing for what should be a very active couple of months. We've officially come up with […]
The NFL's regular season is over, which for most teams, means it's time to start figuring out plans for the offseason.
NFL free agency is a huge part of the process, and along with the NFL Draft, it has everyone preparing for what should be a very active couple of months.
We've officially come up with our own contract projections for the NFL's top free agents that include context behind each player's 2023 season, the likelihood of a franchise tag, the projection itself, and the first-year cap hit for a team that's “all-in” and is needing to reduce that first-year hit in order to maximize their cap dollars.
So, without further ado, let's check out the projection for Chicago Bears cornerback, Jaylon Johnson.
Jaylon Johnson 2024 Contract Projection
Johnson has been on a steady upward trajectory since entering the NFL in the second round of the 2020 draft. And he is having quite the platform year. Allowing just 0.36 yards per coverage snap he has ascended to one of the best lockdown corners in the NFL while working in the same division as Justin Jefferson. Johnson’s four interceptions in 2023 and 43 passes defensed in the last three years show he has ball skills to go with his overall coverage skills that dissuade quarterbacks from even wanting to look his way.
He compliments all of this with adequate run defense, although if there is one area of his game that lacks it is his tackling where he has a career missed tackle rate of 16.6% per Pro Football Focus.
All of these personal achievements come within the context of operating in one of the best defenses in football over the back-half of the year. Johnson was given the opportunity to talk to other clubs near the trade deadline this past year and after showing Chicago what other teams were willing to offer him the Bears elected to hold on to him. This bodes well for Johnson’s long-term contract prospects, but he is likely to get franchise tagged for 2024.
- Franchise Tag Likelihood: High
- 4 yrs $90M, $22.5M APY, $40M fully GTD
- Year One Cap Hit: $12 million
Previous projection: 4 yrs $80M, $20.0M APY, $38M fully GTD w/a Year One Cap Hit of $11 million
Be sure to check back in and around the site for more projections, as we will add more in the coming days and weeks.
