Bears top CB Jaylon Johnson back at Halas Hall for OTAs

Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson, their best player at that position and one of their top talents overall, is back at Halas Hall for Organized Team Activities after missing the last two weeks.

Johnson is expected to practice Wednesday morning and speak to the media in the afternoon.

While OTAs are voluntary, most NFL players attend unless they are injured or seeking a new contract. Johnson is up for an extension this offseason as he heads into the final year of his rookie deal. He has a salary-cap hit. of $3.6 million this season; there are 11 corners at $10 million or higher for this season.

Johnson said on ESPN Radio last week he skipped the first two OTAs to spend time with his daughter in Fresno, Calif., and raising funds through a non-profit he started to honor his best friend, who was shot and killed in 2021.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles, who drafted cornerbacks Kyler Gordon and Tyrique Stevenson in the second round the last two years, said after the draft, “Jaylon, I hope he’s a guy we get to keep here for a while, too.”

Former Bears general manager Ryan Pace drafted Johnson out of Utah in the second round in 2020, and he has started 39 games. He held opposing passers to 58.8% completions.