LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — As the Bears reported to Halas Hall for training camp in late July, general manager Ryan Poles didn’t put a timeline on potential contract extensions for a few key players on his roster.
“If I was in that position, I would want it done sooner rather than later,” Poles said.
At the time, Poles was addressing the prospect of reaching long-term deals with tight end Cole Kmet, receiver Darnell Mooney and cornerback Jaylon Johnson. One day later, the Bears signed Kmet to a four-year, $50-million contract extension.
With the start of the regular season looming, new deals for Mooney and Johnson still haven't come to fruition.
“I don’t really worry about contracts,” Mooney said. “I’m a professional at football. I let my agent be a professional at contract stuff, so I don’t really worry. Whenever it gets done, it gets done.”
Though Poles maintains there are no timelines in play, contract negotiations often become a more delicate matter once the regular season starts. Contract figures that were previously discussed during the offseason could change in relation to on-field performance, and players risk suffering an injury that could jeopardize their futures.
Mooney’s contract situation has already been complicated by his health. He suffered a season-ending ankle fracture late last November and spent the offseason recovering. In May, Mooney acknowledged the Bears wanted to see him run and prove his health before starting negotiations. The Bears put Mooney through a careful ramp-up phase as he returned to practice for the start of training camp. He was operating with a full workload one week in, showcasing comfort in his health.
“I understand what I’ve got to do with myself,” Mooney said. “I know what I can do as a playmaker. There’s no thoughts on contracts. I know I have the one year left. I’m blessed with the opportunity to have even that.”
For Johnson, there’s pressure to perform like a top cornerback. He has matched up well against No. 1 wide receivers but hasn’t impacted games with turnovers. In 39 career NFL games, Johnson has just one interception.
Johnson has confronted that reality and is motivated to change that. He has put in the work this offseason to better understand how he can take advantage of his game-changing opportunities in coverage.
“The only thing he’s missing production-wise is plays on the ball and takeaways, and that’s part of one of the tenets of this defense is to take the ball away,” Bears cornerbacks coach Jon Hoke said. “We’ve got to improve in that area, and he’s very much aware. It’s on his mind.”
Mooney and Johnson are each under contract through 2023. If they don't reach extensions before the Bears host the Packers on Sept. 10 in their opener, they'll begin playing for their financial futures – whether that’s with Chicago or elsewhere. Pass rusher Trevis Gipson and receiver Chase Claypool are also entering contract years, though neither is considered a candidate for an extension.
Poles and the Bears don't have an impending deadline to reach a deal with Mooney and Johnson, but the clock is still ticking. Without a deal before the season, the tenor of the negotiations can completely change.
“I mean, I love the game, but I also play the game for the check as well,” Johnson said. “It’s just something that you grow up knowing, OK, like, the biggest thing is getting to that second contract. That's when you change your family’s lives. I mean, that’s the days I've grinded when I didn't want to grind. That’s the days where I have shed tears that hurt a whole lot.
“That’s a lot of people's dreams, to be able to have a job, to be able to have a situation that they know they have generational wealth, and even being able to have an opportunity to grow that wealth from that point."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
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