***LAKE FOREST, Ill.,***— With just under four weeks to go until the start of the 2026 NFL league year, the Chicago Bears will have a number of decisions to make, especially when retooling the defense. A unit that was average in 2025, the front office added veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson halfway through the season after injuries to starters Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon forced both to be sidelined for multiple games.
Adding Gardner-Johnson gave the coaching staff another versatile, athletic defensive back who could play safety and in the slot. For defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, adding Johnson also meant the defense had at least one defensive back who played for Allen previously, from 2019-2021 with the New Orleans Saints.
Set to be a free agent this offseason, the former fourth-round pick will hit free agency for the third time in his career. For the Bears, who have four safeties set to hit the open market in 2026, Gardner-Johnson's future is an intriguing one.
Let's get into our hold 'em or fold 'em for the veteran safety.
The case for keeping Gardner-Johnson
The Bears will enter the 2026 offseason with the goal of retooling the defense, and part of the process will be identifying which players could help establish some continuity under Allen. As mentioned above, Gardner-Johnson fits that mold, having spent the first three seasons of his career as a starter. The familiarity with Allen's defense should factor into the Bears decision, as should starting experience. For context, Johnson started 31 games in New Orleans and 71 overall, including seven for the Bears in 2025.
During his third season in New Orleans, Johnson also played some linebacker. For a coaching staff that values versatility, especially in starters, the Bears found a number of ways to maximize Johnson's value, having him play in the slot, blitzing him off the edge, and as a linebacker to defend the run or drop back into coverage.
The case against keeping Gardner-Johnson
While Johnson's scheme fit and familiarity will be important for the Bears, his durability is also something that the Bears will need to account for when discussing what to do with him. For perspective, over the last few years, he's dealt with a handful of lower leg injuries and missed the Bears wild card matchup against the Packers with a concussion. For a unit that already dealt with so many injuries in Allen's first year with the team, investing in another injury-prone player is a risky move to make.
At 28 years old, it's likely that he's set to receive his final NFL contract, and for the Bears, he could come at a discounted price, espeically since he only played half the season with the team. While that works in the Bears favor, investing in another aging veteran means the Bears are confident he'll remain healthy all throughout 2026 and likely start every game.
Final Verdict
Hold 'Em. The future of Gardner-Johnson is an intriguing one. With the Bears being so tight on cap space going into the 2026 offseason, the franchise may be forced to bring him back at a discounted rate, giving him a one-year, prove-it type deal. Utilizing such an approach means the Bears could find themselves at the negotiating table next offseason, potentially trying to sign the former fourth-round pick to a long-term deal.
The other end of the argument is that the Bears could bring Johnson back simply as a stopgap option, giving him a nice little payday while drafting his replacement to take the starting role as soon as the 2027 season begins. With Chicago looking to get younger on defense, this seems like an ideal scenario as the Bears likely may not be using a high pick on a safety.
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