Jaylon Johnson has had enough of the Bears’ potential: “It’s about action”

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The last time preseason hype was this high, the Chicago Bears had just won the NFC North with the league’s best defense in 2018. But the following season, those expectations were dashed when the Bears stumbled to third place in the division with an 8-8 record.

Jaylon Johnson was drafted by Chicago a year later in 2020 and was never part of a team with a winning record during his tenure. As the Bears opened training camp with their first practice on Saturday, the second-team All-Pro cornerback said the mood seems no different on a team with heightened expectations from the outside.

“I feel like I’ve been on some talented rosters where we had a lot of potential,” Johnson said. “I feel like for me, it’s one of those things where I’m tired of just potential and upside. I want to be in a position where we actually go out there and be who we are, not just what we’re expected to be.”

ESPN Bet has the Bears’ win total at 8.5, their highest win total projection since 2019 (9). Chicago fell short of its 7.5 win total last season when it finished with a 7-10 record, and hasn’t posted a season of nine or more wins since 2018 (12-4).

The Bears’ decisions this offseason, from signing quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick to signing wide receiver Keenan Allen, running back D’Andre Swift and safety Kevin Byard, are largely to blame for the heightened expectations. General manager Ryan Poles predicted this year’s training camp will be the most competitive he’s ever seen, while wide receiver DJ Moore said this roster is the most talented he’s ever been a part of.

After practice, Johnson said he wasn’t looking to get caught up in the excitement, but rather to see the Bears face their potential head-on.

“It’s about action at this point, so the projections, the energy, the excitement at the beginning all feel good because everybody, every team, every fan (says), ‘Oh, this is our year, this is our year.’ I’m not so much on the ‘Oh yeah, this is our year,'” Johnson said. “No, we have to go out here and prove it, and I think that starts with Day 1, starts with today. But this is something that’s going to continue from now until the end of the season, whenever that will be, whether it’s playoffs or not.”