Let’s cut the fluff: Ryan Poles nailed it with Jaylon Johnson’s contract — and with Sauce Gardner just inking a jaw-dropping $120.4 million extension this week, it only makes Poles look even smarter. While the rest of the league is handing out monopoly money to top corners, Poles locked up a top-tier shutdown CB for substantially less. This isn’t luck — this is highway robbery, pulled off by a GM with a damn good map. So let’s take a look at JJ’s deal and how Poles has approached extensions since taking the Bears’ wheel.
All contract information was pulled from Spotrac.
The Deal: Bank-Runner Level
4 years, $76 M total with $54 M guaranteed, and $43.8 M guaranteed at signing.
Front-loaded: $28 M in Year 1, $16 M Year 2 — beats two tags ($19.8 M + $23.8 M).
Pitch-perfect cap structure: early bite, backloaded comfort for Chicago.
Contrast that with Sauce Gardner’s 4‑year, $120.4 M extension at $30.1 M/year, including $60 M guaranteed. Johnson cost ~$11 M less annually — even though his production in 2024 was arguably superior.
Production: Bringing the Heat
Johnson wasn’t just paid for potential — he earned it:
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Played all 17 games; Gardner had 15.
53 tackles and 2 interceptions vs. Gardner’s 49 tackles and 1 INT.
PFF overall grade: 76.2 (19th out of 222 CBs) with a coverage grade in the 98th percentile.
Oh, and 2023 was even crazier: Johnson graded 90.8 overall — PFF’s top cornerback. He wasn’t just good — he was elite.
2024 Stat Comparison: Jaylon Johnson vs. Sauce Gardner
Market Context: CB Economy is Booming
The cornerback market is erupting:
Sauce Gardner gets $30.1 M/year;
Derek Stingley Jr. signed $30 M/year in March 2025;
Jaycee Horn is making $25 M/year.
Johnson’s $19 M/year? That now looks like daylight robbery. Poles locked in elite CB play before the market exploded — and pocketed cap space to plug holes.
Top 15 Highest Paid NFL Cornerbacks per AAV (2005).
Poles’ Masterplan
Okay, so Jaylon Johnson looks like a steal — but how have Poles’ other extensions held up? Let’s zoom out and check the receipts.
Since 2022, Poles has gone big on defense — but always smart:
Montez Sweat: $24.6 M/year (acquired for a 2nd‑round pick, then signed to a 4‑year $98 M deal)
Jaylon Johnson: $19 M/year
T.J. Edwards: $6.5 M/year — arguably one of the best value signings in 2023 at linebacker
Kyler Gordon: Just signed a 3-year, $40 million extension this offseason ($13.3M/year) — another smart, cost-controlled move that rewards upside without overpaying
Poles picks undervalued players before the market catches up — that’s been his whole MO, and so far it’s aging damn well. Sweat had 12.5 sacks in 2023 (I know Sweat had a down year last season — but I feel positive he’ll bounce back to his mean), Kyler Gordon is one of the best slot corners in the league, JJ is JJ, and Edwards led the team in tackles.
Final Verdict
The Jaylon Johnson deal wasn’t a whim — it was a calculated money-laundering move. Poles identified a prime-talent CB on the rise and locked him before the rest of the league realized how rare that talent was. This is value buying, cap-savvy, and exactly how contenders are built.
Chicago landed:
Elite CB play at bargain value.
Extra cap space to fix weaknesses.
A GM building with vision, not panic.
If Johnson pans out (and all signs say he will), this contract is Poles’ magnum opus in roster construction — proof he’s playing checkers while the rest are playing marbles. But look one contract doesn’t win a championship — but Poles’ pattern suggests he’s methodically stacking smart talent, not splurging. If Johnson continues to lockdown receivers and sustain elite play, this deal will be looked at as the turning point — not just for Poles, but for the Bears on the rise.