Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson and the Chicago Bears finalized a $76 million, four-year contract on Thursday, with $54.4 million guaranteed. This was a huge arrangement.

The financial details of the arrangement, which were first reported by the NFL Network, were verified by two people who are familiar with the situation. The Associated Press was granted access to them under the condition of anonymity because the terms had not yet been made public.

General manager Ryan Poles said, “We’re really happy to be able to keep Jaylon here for the next four years.” “He’s a crucial component of our defense, and his guidance will support our group’s advancement.”

This deal was reached just two days after Johnson was assigned to the Bears’ franchise tag. He would have been eligible to receive $19.8 million in 2024 if he had not accepted the extension prior to the deadline on July 15. Johnson had stated that he wanted to remain with the Bears.

Johnson, who turns 25 in April, had a standout campaign the previous year, grabbing four interceptions, one of which was returned for a score.

He was named a second-team All-Pro after forcing a fumble and defending ten passes.

The Bears defense finished 12th in the NFL after an early struggle; however, they struggled against the pass, finishing 25th. After the Bears’ encouraging meeting against the Chargers in Los Angeles on October 29, Poles thought they were getting close to extending the contract.

The following day, though, things changed when representatives of Johnson expressed interest in looking into trade possibilities. Johnson was free to look for other chances prior to the deadline of October 31st, but he eventually decided to stay with the Bears.

As the season went on, Johnson’s play significantly improved; in his last 10 games, he had four interceptions, as opposed to just one in his first 43 games.

Chicago, who concluded the previous season with a 7-10 record, has the first and ninth overall picks in the forthcoming draft going into the current campaign.