The Cam Lewis Signing Raises One Question: CJGJ Replacement or Jonathan Owens Upgrade?

The Bears' free agent signings today might not garner as many headlines as their day-one pickups, but they found a few players who could provide big impacts on Sundays.

Kalif Raymond was probably the most significant signing today, and his role is already etched in stone. He will be their primary returner and will probably be a gadget guy and deep threat as a complementary option on the offensive side of the ball.

Cornerback/safety Cam Lewis, who put pen to paper on a two-year deal, was easily the second-most important acquisition. However, it raises one question.. who will he be replacing?

The Bears are signing veteran cornerback Cameron Lewis on a two-year deal, a source said. He's a six-year veteran at the age of 28 with 76 games under his belt, including 10 starts the last two seasons.
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) March 10, 2026

Lewis may not be considered a needle mover for many people. However, if they intend for him to play in the slot (a role he has had over the past few years), then he could be a Kyler Gordon injury from playing a big role on the defensive side of the ball.

Few nickelbacks are better than Gordon when he's healthy. Lewis definitely won't challenge him for playing time anytime soon. With that said, I'm relieved the Bears prioritized adding to the room, as the 26-year-old has had his fair share of injury issues throughout his career. He's missed at least two games every year of his career and is coming off a season in which he played a career-low three games.

A lingering groin injury opened the door for the Bears to take a chance on C.J. Gardner-Johnson midway through last season, and they certainly didn't regret it. In fact, you could make a case that he was one of their most impactful players on the defensive side of the ball after the team signed him ahead of their Week 9 matchup against Cincinnati.

However, it always seemed like CJGJ was going to be one-and-done in Chicago. He's always been a solid player and should command a solid paycheck on the open market this offseason. He also probably wouldn't be content with sitting behind Gordon (and isn't exactly the type of player you'd want to be upset with his role).

While Lewis might not be nearly as good as CJGJ, he has provided a greater presence on the defensive side of the ball over the previous two years. He had 10 starts over that span and has been solid in run support.

However, it's fair to wonder whether they have different intentions as the key reserve behind Gordon. I also think the addition of Lewis would make sense if they intend for him to replace what Jonathan Owens provided. Newly-acquired Coby Bryant is their only safety under contract, after all.

Lewis' main impact would come via special teams if that were the case, and that's a role he has thrived in for the past four years. He has played more than half of the Bills' special teams snaps and has been credited with 34 tackles in the third phase over that span.

I'd feel much better about the addition if they're still planning to add to the slot cornerback position through the draft or free agency. I don't want them to downgrade, and I think this move would be that (although they definitely could do worse) when it comes to the impact Gardner-Johnson provided. However, I also understand that CJGJ was a luxury, and was only available when he was due to being a distraction in Houston.