Bears Experience Edge Returning

The expected return of Jaylon Johnson this week makes the Bears defense as near 100% as they've had, with just Eddie Jackson's return to come.

The Bears are about to get closer on defense to their full set and then defensive coordinator Alan Williams might have a better picture of whether they can create turnovers at the same rate this scheme did in Indianapolis over four seasons.

Most likely it will take until they get in pads at training camp before he has a better idea because as he says now, they're just in shorts and helmets.

Cornerback Jaylon Johnson had told ESPN AM-1000 he will be at practice this week, although it's uncertain whether the Bears would necessarily throw him out on the field right away. Last year he also missed voluntary work at the outset, but it was a voluntary minicamp.

Williams will appreciate having him back nonetheless.

"Starting off, right away, (he) showed the ability to tackle but the one thing that shows up the most is he understands football," Williams said.

Williams thinks this lets Johnson see "the big picture" in the secondary.

"Sometimes when guys do that, they miss some of the details, but he does both," Williams said.

Last year Johnson's experience proved key with inexperienced Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon playing in the secondary. Johnson was diagnosing what the opposition was intending to do at times and let the rookies in on it.

"And there were times when it was his play to make and he made it and other times when he alerted someone else," Williams said. "The big thing is he took a step forward and alerted someone else that, hey, that was their play to make."

Again Johnson will be working with inexperience, this time rookie cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson and Terell Smith. Until veteran Eddie Jackson returns from rehabbing a foot injury suffered last November, they can use that extra veteran's touch.

In the meantime, it's been Gordon as a second-year cornerback helping rookies the way he saw Johnson doing this with him last year.

"I've been talking to them a lot," Gordon said. "They been making a plays already. We talk on the sideline, talk before practice and just giving tips, stuff that I had my first year. Nothing but good things for them and I think they are going to be good."

Stevenson, their second-round pick this year, has only practiced part of the time with the first team, but had an interception of Justin Fields last week.

"Me and him are just going to keep building chemistry," Gordon said. "If he's outside that's just going to be another player to build chemistry with and that I trust that he;s going to do his job on the outside while I'm on the inside.

"Just building our communication and talking and just getting to learn together and knowing how we both fit when we are on the same side (of the field)." 

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