Jaylon Johnson at home even as Bears tout ‘invaluable’ OTAs

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Cornerback Jaylon Johnson hasn’t told the Bears when he’ll return to practice, though head coach Matt Eberflus presumes it will be in time for mandatory minicamp in two weeks. That’s the first time Johnson could be fined for skipping practice.

“He’ll probably be here for mandatory minicamp,” Eberflus said Wednesday.

Eberflus wouldn’t close the door to a return next week for the end of organized team activities next week. Coaches believe that OTAs are voluntary in the same way as dinner with your in-laws — you can opt-out, technically, but you better not. The Bears’ number of healthy players voluntarily skipping them numbers just two out of 90.

“Hopefully next week,” Eberflus said of Johnson. “Potentially.”

Johnson, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, presumably wants a new contract this offseason — and to protect himself against a freak practice injury that would hamper one.

The Bears having one of their best players skip voluntary practices isn’t anything to panic about — yet. After the ugly manner in which Roquan Smith’s contract negotiations played out during training camp last year, though, it’s fair to wonder whether general manager Ryan Poles will have an easier time keeping the locker room peace this season. The Bears have explored giving extensions to Johnson, tight end Cole Kmet and receiver Darnell Mooney this offseason — they first want to see what Mooney’s recovery from a grisly ankle injury looks like — but have yet to reach any agreements.

Unlike last year, there’s no new defense for Johnson to learn. Johnson is participating in team meetings remotely and is watching practice film. Still, his coaches said Wednesday that he was missing out by not being on the Halas Hall backfields.

“We’d like everybody here,” Eberflus said. “We feel it’s invaluable to be here.”

For one, Johnson is part of the Bears’ only position group to have a new coach this season.

“The package is the package, the scheme’s the scheme,” said new cornerbacks coach Jon Hoke, who is beginning his second stint with the Bears and has 18 years of NFL experience. “But there are nuances about how you teach different things. That’s the big thing….

“Just the subtle changes between how I teach and the way it was taught before. From a technical standpoint as much as anything else.”

Defensive coordinator Alan Williams said that, while he understands participation is optional, offseason practices are more valuable than a player staying home.

“I think we have the best coaching staff in the world, the best training staff, the best strength and conditioning staff,” he said. “We have the best dietician. I think we have the best of everything here. So I want guys to be here. But it is voluntary. So with that in mind, any of the players, it’s, they have to make a choice of whether they’re here or not.”

In his first year with Johnson, Williams was impressed by his ability to diagnose plays for himself and their teammates after the snap.

“He really understands football,” he said. “And so he sees the big picture and has the ability to not just see the big picture. Sometimes when guys do that, they miss some of the details, but he does both.” 

The Bears are relying on their other absentee, former Titans guard Nate Davis, to lean on his experience to pick up the offense. Eberflus said the Bears feel “a little bit more comfortable” with Davis missing time because the Titans played a similar scheme. But they’d rather Davis — whom they gave a three-year, $30 million deal in March — be in attendance.

The same goes for Johnson.

“As far as him not being here, I don’t really worry about it,” second-year cornerback Kyler Gordon said. “I know he’s a vet and he takes care of things and he’s a professional. I know when he comes back there’s not going to be a drop off.

“He’s a leader on our team, and he’s going to do what he does.”