There has been no shortage of big contract news breaking over the past few weeks. And while the Bears haven’t been directly involved, these reports still point to a bright future for Chicago. Why? Because these recent deals prove that the Bears pulled off possibly the biggest steal in the NFL over the past several years. This steal isn’t a draft pick, UDFA, or even a trade. It’s the extension of star cornerback Jaylon Johnson that was secured at a price point that now looks like highway robbery.
NFL front offices live and die by value. One way to do that is by finding great players and locking them in before the market explodes. The recent mega-deal for Jets star Sauce Gardner (four years, $120.4 million, or $31 million annually) set a new standard for cornerbacks. That’s why Bears GM Ryan Poles’ move to extend Jaylon Johnson to a four-year, $76 million deal ($19 million per year) last offseason now stands out as one of the savviest in the league.
While Gardner is certainly a top-notch player, Johnson is a star in his own right. To make this comparison, let’s turn to the analytics. In the 2024 season, Johnson actually graded better than Gardner overall, and slightly edged him in coverage according to analytics from Pro Football Focus.
Looking at each player’s best NFL season, their grades are nearly identical.
There is some additional context that is need here however. While Gardner’s best years came while he played on top-tier Jets defenses, Johnson often excelled on units ranked near the bottom of the league. This indicates that Johnson could very well be the superior player since he has the ability to shine without the benefit of an elite supporting cast.
Now let’s look at the Annual Per Year (APY) cap hits for both players. The graph below clearly represents the massive differential between Gardner and Johnson.
Finally, let’s evaluate value (performance per dollar of APY). This graph really illustrates why this is such a steal for Chicago.
When evaluating performance relative to contract, Johnson’s value is jaw-dropping. Whether you judge on last season or their best campaigns, Johnson provides a significantly higher grade per dollar than Gardner.
This kind of value is, for lack of a better phrase, extremely valuable. That $11 million differential allowed Chicago to pursue more players to improve their roster. With the money saved, the Bears can add other critically needed pieces. This includes offensive line reinforcements (e.g. Joe Thuney) and quality depth at receiver (e.g. Devin Duvernay), while also maintaining flexibility to scoop up talented undrafted free agents or address unforeseen roster holes.
Instead of burning through cap space for a single star, the Bears locked in an elite corner and gained the flexibility to address multiple areas of need. This follows the same roster-building blueprints of the Chiefs and Eagles. If you are following the same strategies of championship teams then you are doing something right.
Why didn’t other teams make this move? Timing was everything. Chicago could have waited, but by extending Johnson before the Sauce Gardner deal reset the market, Poles ensured the Bears got a star for pennies on the dollar. Now Johnson is seen not just as a leader but as a key financial asset around which the whole defense can be built.
With Ben Johnson at head coach, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams under center, and a growing roster bolstered by smart cap decisions, the Bears are entering 2025 with more optimism and real staying power than they’ve had in years. Jaylon Johnson is a core piece of this new Bears franchise: an elite performer at a mid-market price. His deal provides Chicago the depth, talent, and cap flexibility to chase wins now and in the future.
Steals don’t have to be draft picks or undrafted free agents. They don’t have to be free agent signings or trades. A steal is simply just getting a player who is more valuable that whatever capital was used to acquire him. Considering the value the Bears got from the Johnson extension, an argument could easily be made that the Chicago Bears got the biggest steal in recent memory.
Disclaimer: The content of this article was originally published as a YouTube video on the Saturday Morning Inspection YouTube channel. With AI assistance, the publisher of the video created this article based on the content of that video.
