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Much of the discussion the last two offseasons surrounding the Bears’ defense is the defensive line and rightfully so. They still lack a true premier edge rusher or game wrecking defensive tackle in the middle. Say what you want about Montez Sweat, but he is unfortunately not impacting the game at the same level as other superstar rushers around the league. However, the cornerback play as of late has not been anything to hang your hat on either.
The Bears were decimated by injuries on defense in 2025 with Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Tremaine Edmunds, and T.J. Edwards all missing extended periods of time. Nashon Wright stepped up and quickly became a fan favorite, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl after snagging a league-leading five interceptions. His 65.1 PFF grade paints a better picture though – a cornerback who struggled in coverage often, but made a few plays on the ball to warrant some praise.
Wright has now moved on to the Jets leaving the second cornerback position a battle to keep an eye on during training camp. Tyrique Stevenson likely begins camp with the starters, but rookie Malik Muhammad and Terrell Smith with be gunning for him.
Jaylon Johnson is the Biggest Piece to a Successful Bears Defense
Bradley Locker of PFF listed Johnson as one of 10 make-or-break players for contenders in 2026. Johnson is just two years removed from an All-Pro season where he was regarded as one of the best corners in the league. He had an average year in 2024 with just two interceptions and eight passes defended. He then entered 2025 with a groin injury that was aggravated very early on causing him to miss 10 games. It was also apparent that he was not the same player once he returned.
Hopefully his play in 2025 was due to the injury and not a sign of a serious regression as he is still one of the biggest cap hits on the roster at $24.4M. If Johnson can return to what we saw in 2023 or even a slightly better version of 2024, then the Bears defense should be in a much better spot this season. A number-one corner is absolutely crucial playing in a division with the likes of Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Christian Watson. Jordan Addison and Jameson Williams are no slouches either and Matthew Golden should take a step forward.
An ideal defense relies on their pass rush to bring pressure putting their backfield in a great position to make plays on the ball. The Bears strength on defense, however, is their back end so it is imperative Johnson returns to an above-average starting corner for this whole thing to work.
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This article was originally published on dawindycity.com as Jaylon Johnson holds the keys to unlocking Bears' defense in 2026.
