Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson showed up to Halas Hall this week for the first time this offseason. He has skipped the voluntary workouts but said Wednesday it had nothing to do with his desire for a contract extension.
“Not even close,” Johnson said, via Chris Emma of 670 The Score. “No. Anybody who knows me [knows] that’s not my character. I think at the end of the day, for me – I wouldn’t even say holding out. Just having prior priorities. At the end of the day, everybody knows I have a 3-year-old daughter back at home in California, and I’m a dad before I’m anything else. Before I’m a football player. Before I’m anything, I’m a dad first.
Johnson, who is in the process of changing agents, is entering the final year of his rookie contract that will pay him $2.993 million with a $3.559 million cap hit. His hope is to sign a long-term extension with the Bears, but he isn’t sweating it.
“I just go out and continue to be who I am,” Johnson said. “Continue to be the player I am, keep getting better, keep finding ways to improve my game. And really, just find ways to win. For me, I’m not too worried about it.
“A hundred percent I look forward to staying and extending with the Bears.”
Johnson, a 2020 second-round pick, has 125 tackles, an interception, 31 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 39 career games.
