The Chicago Bears defense hasn't been healthy all season. There hasn't been a single game where they've fielded all 11 of their projected starters. By far the biggest loss has been Jaylon Johnson. Their star cornerback suffered a nasty groin injury while training in the summer. He missed training camp and the first game of the season. A return was attempted in Detroit the next week, but Johnson suffered a worse setback to his core muscle. That necessitated surgery, landing him on Injured Reserve. Nobody was sure if the cornerback would return this season.
Since then, it's been radio silence. Johnson hasn't been mentioned at Halas Hall for almost two months. That finally changed on Wednesday. Head coach Ben Johnson revealed that the cornerback was back working out at the facility. He and the training staff are confident Johnson should return to action at some point in the coming weeks. The same is true for Kyler Gordon. He's been on IR with groin and calf issues. The Bears believe his stint was always going to be shorter. If things play out as hoped, the defense could get both of them back just in time for the most pivotal stretch of the season.
Jaylon Johnson has been missed so much.
Chicago's defense has struggled against the pass this season, ranking 26th in the NFL. Joe Flacco put up 470 yards on them two weeks ago. People have wanted to blame the pass rush, but when you're down three of your top four cornerbacks (Terell Smith is out for the year), it's difficult to get stops. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen deserves credit for making do with what he has. Nahshon Wright has three interceptions. New addition C.J. Gardner-Johnson already has three sacks. They're making it work.
Still, people are anxious to see what this defense looks like at full strength. Getting Jaylon Johnson back is the key. It sounds like he's getting himself back into shape. The next step will be reaching the practice window. From there, he'll have three weeks to show he is ready to play. Knowing Johnson, he is eager to return. This is his first chance to be part of a winning team in his career. There is no way he'd want to miss that.
