Jaylon Johnson Close but Not Quite Ready for Return to Action

Every Chicago Bears fan was eagerly anticipating the opening of cornerback Jaylon Johnson's 21-day practice window, hoping it signaled his imminent return to the field. The excitement grew even more when he was initially listed as only questionable for the crucial Week 11 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, giving fans a glimmer of hope that their star cornerback might make an appearance against a key division rival. Unfortunately, Johnson was unable to participate in the game despite the team's hard-fought victory over Minnesota, meaning fans will have to exercise more patience before seeing him back in Bears colors.

The Bears officially downgraded Johnson to out for the Vikings game due to a persistent groin injury, confirming that he will remain on the Reserve/Injured: Designated for Return list for the time being. This setback is particularly disappointing considering Johnson has not practiced or played since Week 2, when he initially suffered the groin injury in a game against the Detroit Lions. Following that injury, he was placed on injured reserve and underwent core muscle surgery in an effort to resolve the problem.

Soft tissue injuries like Johnson's groin strain are notoriously challenging to assess, as recovery timelines can be unpredictable and premature returns risk aggravating the injury further. This difficulty in evaluation has influenced the Bears’ decision to take a cautious approach, opting to keep both Johnson and fellow cornerback Kyler Gordon—who is sidelined with a hamstring injury—on injured reserve to ensure they have adequate time to fully heal. This strategy, while frustrating to fans eager to see their defensive stars back in action, is one that is knowingly precautious of one of their best players. Chicago is riding high right now, and risking a deflating injury due to a premature return could derail that momentum.