Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson was placed on the non-football injury list last week, along with three other players, though the team initially did not provide details about his condition. The NFI designation is used for injuries or illnesses that occur outside of team activities.
But we got a crucial update on Tuesday. General Manager Ryan Poles announced, that Johnson will miss “a few weeks” of training camp due to a leg injury suffered during offseason training.
While Poles shared confidence that the injury won’t have long term effects saying, “We’re not particularly concerned with the long-term impact”—he did not share specifics about how the injury happened or whether Johnson is pursuing a second opinion. The lack of clarity has led to some concern among fans and media members.
The Bears signed cornerback Tre Flowers to help offset the absence of Jaylon Johnson. They also added DL Tanoh Kpassagnon, while waiving DB Alex Cook and DL Jereme Robinson.
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Johnson, considered the Bears top CB, is a key piece of the defense. His absence is a setback, especially as the team begins training camp under new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. With veterans reporting Tuesday and the first practice set for Wednesday, Johnson’s injury could slow the defense’s efforts to build early chemistry.
Despite the situation, the Bears remain hopeful Johnson will return soon and be ready for the regular season. In the meantime, they’ll lean on their depth at cornerback while focusing on getting their defensive leader back to full strength as quickly as possible.
