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Bears' Biggest OTAs Storyline May Be Jaylon Johnson's Availability

Jaylon Johnson's return to Bears OTAs offers needed stability in a secondary dealing with injuries, absences and growing pressure to improve in 2026.
Gene Chamberlain|
Grady Jarrett addresses the media at Halas Hall Thursday after Bears OTAs.
Grady Jarrett addresses the media at Halas Hall Thursday after Bears OTAs. | Chicago Bears On SI photo: Chicago Bears video

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Chicago Bears

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Bears defense took the practice field Thursday against Caleb Williams and his offense with cornerback Jaylon Johnson lining up at the left cornerback spot with starters.

This seemed in question earlier this offseason, when reports came out that Johnson hadn't been attending the first two phases of OTAs, but he was there Thursday and really received almost no challenges during the full-squad, non-contact scrimmage. That's a good thing for a cornerback because it shows it wasn't worth the quarterback's time to target him.

"They’re voluntary programs, so everyone's got different ways they want to go about their business, but I appreciate him being here now with his teammates and getting to know them," Bears coach Ben Johnson said of the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback. "We have a lot of new faces in the building, so you cannot overstate the importance of that.

"It's just getting to know your buddy because you're going to lay it out on the line for him on game day. And that is what we're looking to do right now.”

This is how OTAs work. A player on the field one day might not be the next day or the next week because they might have personal commitments and this is the offseason. It's not mandatory the way minicamp is.

The Bears also had slot cornerback Kyler Gordon in attendance and doing stretching and individual work early, but he left the field when the team portion of practice started and went with trainers. Gordon reportedly has a soft tissue injury he's getting over, but he made it a point to be at Halas Hall for work.

Among those not at practice were defensive end Montez Sweat and new tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. Kiran Amegadjie took second-team left tackle plays behind starter Braxton Jones in place of Wills. Theo Benedet was with the third team, for what it's worth at this point in the offseason. The team doesn't explain offseason absences unless there is a major injury involved.

Another defensive player who wasn't available was rookie fourth-round cornerback Malik Muhammad. A point of curiosity was where he might lined up. Because of Gordon's injury, it was expected to be a situation where Muhammad could get slot cornerback reps.

Instead, Josh Blackwell was playing slot.

Rookie first-round safety Dillon Thieneman took free safety reps with the backups and not the first team, while Elijah Hicks and Coby Bryant manned the starting positions.

The place where the Bears really had a problem with bodies was defensive end. Without Sweat, and with both Dayo Odeyingbo and Shemar Turner not able to practice yet after their 2025 season-ending injuries, the Bears' left defensive end with starters on Thursday was Jamree Kromah. A practice squad player last year, the 6-foot-3, 268-pound James Madison product didn't get to suit up on any Sundays.

This only made all the more obvious they would benefit from signing A.J. Epenesa, the veteran Bills free agent who visited Halas Hall earlier in the week. Obviously they're expecting to have Sweat and he would be at minicamp in June, but they can use bodies at this point just for the sake of practice.

Veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett went through a first Bears season in 2025 with a knee injury and battled throughout until improving at the end. He sees the value in players being at OTAs even if it's often a sore spot with players to be practicing when they really don't have to do it according to their collectively bargained agreement.

"You’ve got get to know your teammates more and just put in the work," Jarrett said. "There’s nothing better than just putting in the work with each other. That’s how you really grow the bond, gain the mutual respect for each other and see how each other grind and do what we need to do.

"It’s a new year. In the NFL, every year there’s a new locker room and we’ve just to got make this one the best we can and let the relationships become organic and do what they do.”

Jarrett spent a lot of time at Halas Hall working out in the offseason.

“Our season is made in the offseason," Jarrett said. "I truly believe that and I’ve learned that, too, because there have been pieces in my career where I wasn’t at OTAs all the time and I’ll show up when it’s time to practice and now as I’ve become more mature where that may have been a shortcoming for me, especially being a leader.

"I’ve always been a leader, so being around helps and it matters. Just learning from mistakes in my past and just appreciating where I am right now and taking it day by day, being able to put in good work.”

The day's best

Catch of the day: The bomb from Caleb Williams to Rome Odunze rolling out of the pocket after the defense jumped offsides. It’s not easy hauling one in well downfield against the secondary with the QB out of the pocket and trying to lead you.

Route of the day: Rookie Zavion Thomas ran a simple go route straight down the field and put his 4.28-second speed on display by racing past Tyrique Stevenson, and Williams put it on the money for a TD.

Run of the day: Newly acquired Salvon Ahmed, known for good quickness as a 5-11, 196-pounder, took one around left end for 15 to 20 yards before going OB as the defense closed.

Pass breakup of the day: Reserve cornerback Dontae Manning closed rapidly and snuffed out a throw at the hash by Tyson Bagent to receiver Maurice Alexander.

Pass of the day: The nice, soft, lofted throw Williams threw on the wheel route to D'Andre Swift, but closely followed by a bullet throw to Cole Kmet for only about 10 yards. It was in crowd and Williams gunned it to his tight end in stride, on time and in a crowd.

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Published
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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