The Bears gave cornerback Jaylon Johnson permission to look for a trade on Monday, but nothing came together by Tuesday’s deadline and Johnson remains a member of the team heading into Week Nine.
Johnson said on Wednesday that he asked for the trade because he and the team were “really not coming to be on the same page” in talks about a contract extension and he was surprised that one did not materialize. General Manager Ryan Poles indicated no team was willing to meet a price of a late-first or early second-round pick and said that he doesn’t want to lose Johnson, but the cornerback said he’s not looking to continue talks on a new deal at this point.
“I mean, not really too focused on it right now,” Johnson said, via Josh Schrock of NBCSportsChicago.com. “Just want to continue to stack the season. Continue to build my resume best I can, and I have some personal goals that I want to achieve and then from there, we’ll figure that out when that time comes. That’s not what I’m interested in right now. I’m trying to win.”
Johnson said that he feels his play this season has increased his value, but that he’s “not asking to change the market or break records” in an eventual deal. It sounds like any further push to get something done will wait until after the season and the need to work something out with newly acquired edge rusher Montez Sweat as well will leave the Bears with plenty on their plate at that point.
