DONE DEAL: Jaylon Johnson and the Bears have agreed to a new four-year, $76 million contract.

The Chicago Bears‘ franchise tag on cornerback Jaylon Johnson was only a formality before a long-term contract.

The Bears have agreed to a four-year, $76 million contract with the emerging star defender, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport on Thursday. The team has since announced the contract.

“We’re extremely excited to be able to keep Jaylon here for the next four years,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said in a release. “He’s an integral part of our defense and his leadership will help our team continue to ascend.”

Johnson will make an average of $19 million per year on the new deal, which will land him just behind Cowboys star Trevon Diggs in average annual salary rankings among cornerbacks. The deal itself is worth roughly $800,000 less than the tag in 2024, but provides Johnson with long-term security not afforded by the tag.

Johnson’s contract isn’t surprising. Poles seemed confident last week at the NFL Scouting Combine about the odds of reaching an agreement with Johnson, and he merely used the tag to keep Johnson from leaving the Bears in free agency, which begins Monday when the negotiating window opens.

Instead of playing on a one-year contract, Johnson is cashing in on his highest earning potential of his career, following his first Pro Bowl appearance and second-team All-Pro selection.

Of the Bears who headed to 2024 with uncertain futures, Johnson felt like the most likely to be retained. He turns 25 in April and is only just entering his prime. At $19 million per year, he’s also a minor bargain, considering the direction of the market in recent years.

With Johnson now checked off the list, Poles can turn his attention toward determining quarterback Justin Fields’ future. Unlike Johnson’s new contract, that resolution might not come for a while.

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