LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — During his breakthrough 2023 season, Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson proved his place as one of the top defenders in the NFL. In the end, he earned Pro Bowl honors and a $76-million contract extension.
The 25-year-old Johnson has his sights on being even better in 2024. His goal is to earn first-team All-Pro honors, as he feels slighted that he wasn't a part of that company last season. During training camp at Halas Hall, Johnson has the opportunity to improve each day while facing quality talent on the other side of the ball.
The Bears' wide receiver corps is led by DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze. Moore and Allen each surpassed 1,200 receiving yards in 2023 (Allen did so for the Chargers), making them the only current duo of teammates in the NFL to have each reached that threshold last season. Odunze was the No. 9 overall pick in the NFL Draft in late April.
The Bears' dynamic receivers face a stout secondary each day in practice, one that’s led by the fifth-year pro Johnson. Tyrique Stevenson had four interceptions as a rookie in 2023 while working opposite of Johnson, while Kyler Gordon is a tough defender in the nickel position. The Bears' starting safeties are Jaquan Brisker and two-time All-Pro veteran Kevin Byard.
Each day in practice, the Bears have an intense competition between their receivers and defensive backs.
“I feel like it’s one of those Alabama-vs.-Georgia-type things,” Johnson said. “I mean, you’re going against five-star people every day in practice. When you get to the game and you’re going against, in theory, you’re going against three-stars, it’s a completely different ballgame. That’s when you start dominating other teams. You’re so used to going against dawg after dawg after dawg in practice. When you get to the game, everybody is not a dawg.”
The competition between the receivers and defensive backs is playing out in conjunction with 22-year rookie quarterback Caleb Williams' developmental track after Chicago selected him at No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft.
Moore, 27, had 96 receptions for 1,364 yards and eight touchdowns last season, his first year with the Bears. He was the key target for then-starting quarterback Justin Fields. A six-time Pro Bowler, the 32-year-old Allen landed in Chicago in March as the Bears traded a fourth-round pick to the Chargers for him.
Allen now projects to be an important figure for Williams' growth. He has 97 or more receptions in six of the past seven seasons.
“Just try to make it easy for him,” Allen said of working with Williams. “Make sure we’re seeing things eye to eye and get to the spots that he likes, whatever spots that he can see versus what I’m seeing. And then just being on the same page.”
The rookie Odunze has earned the praise of his new coaches for displaying comfort and confidence with his assignments.
“My mindset coming in is being the best, being the best in the room,” Odunze said. “And I think that’s the mindset of everybody in our room, and I think that’s the way it should be. All of us are trying to be the best in that room, and it creates a competitive and friendly environment for all of us to thrive and we’re achieving those type of goals and establishing ourselves to be options for him on the field.”
The Bears defense's goal is to test Williams each day. The defense consistently showcases different looks for Williams to decipher and challenges receivers in their routes. Bears defenders also let the offense hear about it with each stop.
Johnson, Stevenson and Gordon embrace lining up against Moore, Allen and Odunze, while the safeties Brisker and Byard are waiting for their opportunity in coverage.
“It’s always a constant competition — who is going to make the next play?” Gordon said.
In the early days of training camp, these battles are what drive players. They like to seek out the best players on the other side of the line and step up their game with bragging rights on the line.
And once the regular season arrives in September, the Bears believe they'll be better because of this type of competition. Each time the receivers and defensive backs square off in training camp, they're building for what’s to come.
“For us on defense having those high-level guys on offense, it’s definitely going to push us because we’re going to go out there on Sundays and either we’re going to play somebody just as good as them or not as good as them,” Johnson said. “Either way, it’s going to go in our favor. Vice versa for them. There are definitely some elements or some things we can give to them so that when we go out there on Sundays, it’s a breeze.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.