The Chicago Bears have provided some troubling news about All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson’s health as they brace for the start of 2025 NFL training camp.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles told reporters Tuesday that Johnson suffered a leg injury during his offseason training and will miss “a few weeks” of training camp while he recovers. The Bears had placed Johnson on the active/non-football injury list when he reported for camp last Saturday, but no reason was given for the move at the time.
“When he was training, he had a leg injury,” Poles said Tuesday. “Not going to get into detail about that, but it is going to take a few weeks before he can come back. We have a lot of faith that he’s going to put in the time to rehab and be his full self when he comes back. I’m sure we’ll have updates as we go through training camp, but it is going to take a little bit of time, but [we’re] not overly concerned about long term.”
As of July 22, Johnson is the only player still on one of the Bears’ injury lists. The team had also placed quarterback Case Keenum, running back Ian Wheeler and rookie wide receiver Jahdae Walker on the NFI list last Saturday, but Chicago has since activated all three of them — including both Wheeler and Walker in corresponding moves Tuesday.
The Bears, however, may add more players to their injury lists as they complete their check-ins with their other veterans, who are due to report to Halas Hall on Tuesday.
Jaylon Johnson Should Fine if Injury Doesn’t Linger
Poles did not share any details about the nature of Johnson’s leg injury, but his tone when speaking about Johnson’s outlook indicates there is no reason to worry … yet.
Johnson, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, is one of the Bears’ top defensive talents and a returning team captain. While the 26-year-old is somewhat at the mercy of his injury and how much time it naturally takes to heal, the Bears should feel confident — as Poles said– that Johnson will do the necessary things during his rehabilitation to maintain his leadership role and avoid falling behind in Dennis Allen’s new defensive system.
Johnson is also a seasoned pro who can survive without handling every rep in camp. If the Bears were dramatically changing their defense — perhaps back to a 3-4 system — then maybe there would be more urgency for Johnson to get back on the practice field, but he should be able to slip back into the lineup without missing a beat, so long as he maintains his conditioning.
Now, if Johnson were to miss more than a few weeks, that’s when concern would start to enter the equation. Johnson would probably survive if he missed all of training camp with his rehabilitation, especially since the Bears are unlikely to play him much during the preseason, but it would put him farther behind the sticks. And if his injury lingers into the start of the regular season, then it becomes a much, much bigger problem.
Jaylon Johnson Injury Lets Bears Focus on Other CBs
While Johnson recovers, the Bears will have an opportunity to focus their attention on their other cornerbacks vying for roles with Allen’s defense during the 2025 season — and that should suit them well, considering they must still nail down their No. 2 corner.
One of the biggest projected position battles for the Bears in this year’s camp is the one for the No. 2 cornerback role. Tyrique Stevenson, a 2023 second-round pick, is angling to hold onto his starting job after a sophomore slump in 2024, but fellow 2023 draftee Terell Smith and fifth-round rookie Zah Frazier are also trying to earn their keeps.
Now, the best-case scenario for the Bears would be for new cornerbacks coach Al Harris to figure out how to hone Stevenson’s aggression on the perimeter and turn him into a more controlled weapon for their defense. Even still, Frazier — the first drafted corner for Ben Johnson’s new coaching staff — could threaten if he appeals more to the new system. Smith is also a worthy challenger after shining in his limited 2024 action.
However it shakes out, the Bears will have the glass-half-full benefit of getting to devote more reps to figure out which cornerback is best as their No. 2 while Johnson is out.