Bear Digest

Jaylon Johnson reveals stunning goals and expectation for his QB

Normally Bears players keep their individual goals to themselves but cornerback Jaylon Johnson was more public with his while making an appearance on FS1's Speak.
Gene Chamberlain|
Jaylon Johnson closes in on Terry McLaurin of the Commanders last season. Johnson is aiming at seven interceptions in 2025.
Jaylon Johnson closes in on Terry McLaurin of the Commanders last season. Johnson is aiming at seven interceptions in 2025. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Getting any of the Bears to reveal their statistical goals for a season is often like pulling teeth.
It's probably even tougher than that. They won't cough up the numbers or stats they're looking at, but cornerback Jaylon Johnson rarely finds something he won't talk about and on the FS1 show "Speak," he told the panel Tuesday he has specific numbers in mind.
"I just wrote my numbers down, too," Johnson said. "I want to have seven interceptions and I want to have three forced fumble, I mean 10 turnovers. And last I want to to have no touchdowns given up, no gains over 50 yards, first-team All-Pro, Pro Bowl again, that's a given.

"But I mean, just as far as numbers go, I want to get in the end zone three times for sure."
Realistic? Anything is possible but Johnson has only seven interceptions for his entire career to date and now he's looking to equal that total in one season.
Three forced fumbles might be realistic but the three touchdowns when he has one for his career might not be possible, either.

Johnson, now 26 and in his sixth season, did point out one thing he has seen in the new defensive scheme under coordinator Dennis Allen that could allow him to make a run at some of these goals, no matter how realistics they might be or not be. He is certain he'll be allowed to continue to "travel" with the top receiver from the other team.
"I think this year we're going to have a true opportunity to challenge guys, get up in guys' faces, and really limit offenses."
It's here where there is a drastic departure under Allen from what the Bears did under Matt Eberflus.

The Eberflus scheme played more man-to-man than the classic Tampa-2 zone style of the Bears in the Lovie Smith era but were not a man-to-man team.
Allen's scheme is more aggressive and will use this approach while blitzing more often, though not a lot more.
Johnson's expectations went beyond the defense. He reveals what he expects from Caleb Williams in Year 2. He's a little less specific about his QB's goals.

"I don't think it has to be him going for 4,000 yards or 4,500 yards and then we don't go to the playoffs," Johnson said. "I think it's more so him making the right plays.
"If it's a checkdown, if it's complete a deep ball, whatever it may be, I think just him playing winning football. And then that comes with the defense, too. I mean, me being a leader, me being a dog on that defensive side.
We've got to get him the ball back and make plays as many opportunities as we have if we want to play winning football."

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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.