Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson has been nursing a leg injury throughout the summer and was placed on the NFI list as a result, putting his status for the season opener in question.
However, Bears head coach Ben Johnson revealed some good news on that front Tuesday, noting that Jaylon Johnson is expected to be on Chicago's 53-man roster and will, in turn, be able to practice and potentially play in Week 1.
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"That's been the target date, but we'll see," Ben Johnson said, via Jason Lieser of The Chicago Sun Times.
Had Jaylon Johnson remained on the NFI list, he would have been forced to miss the first four games of the season, as per league rules. But evidently, he has healed well enough where that will not be an issue.
Johnson has made back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances and is coming off of a 2024 campaign in which he played every game for the first time in his career. During his time on the field, he registered 53 tackles, a couple of interceptions, a forced fumble and eight passes defended.
The 26-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Utah, was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
In the early stages of Johnson's career, he was actually one of the more underrated cornerbacks in football. His problem was that he had difficulty staying healthy. When he was available, though, he was terrific, which led to Chicago signing him to a four-year, $76 million contract extension in March 2024.
That followed Johnson's first Pro Bowl appearance and also a Second-Team All-Pro selection after he racked up 36 tackles, four picks and 10 passes defended.
Johnson is an integral piece to the Bears defense, and given how shaky their cornerback depth is behind him, it would have been a crushing blow if he were forced to sit out the first four weeks.
Chicago will open up the season by hosting the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, Sept. 8.
For more on the Bears and NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
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