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Bears Add Secondary Help With Former Giants Safety Anthony Johnson Jr.
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- Bears Add Secondary Help With Former Giants Safety Anthony Johnson Jr.
The Chicago Bears have added some depth to their secondary.
According to Jordan Schultz , the Bears are signing former Green Bay Packers and New York Giants safety Anthony Johnson Jr.
[READ: Bears Pad Backfield With Former Dolphins RB Salvon Ahmed ]
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The Packers selected Johnson in the seventh round from Iowa State in 2023. In his rookie season, the 6-foot, 205-pound safety played 334 defensive snaps, logging 20 total tackles and allowing five receptions on seven targets for 60 yards. He didn't give up a touchdown in coverage all season and secured his first and only interception in the Packers' 20-3 win in Week 9.
The veteran safety joined the Giants the following year, playing primarily on special teams. Johnson played 113 snaps on the third phase and just 21 snaps on defense, according to Pro Football Focus .
Johnson failed to secure a spot on the Giants' active roster last season and was released following a failed physical designation , landing him on the reserve/PUP list. The Giants released him this past March.
Uphill Battle
The Bears' safety room looks much different than it did a season ago. Three new faces are a top of the depth chart: Coby Bryant , Dillon Thieneman and Cam Lewis .
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General manager Ryan Poles signed Bryant to a three-year, $40 million contract and agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with Lewis in free agency. With the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Bears selected Thieneman.
With heavy investments spent on revamping the position group in free agency and the draft, plus the Bears re-signing Elijah Hicks to a one-year, $2.6 million contract, another safety making this Bears roster will be a challenge.
Four safeties made the Bears' 53-man roster last season, and that is likely the number Chicago will land on this year under defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
Johnson is joining a Bears team that is coming off an NFC North title and playoff win against the Packers in the wild-card round at Soldier Field. For Johnson to make any sort of impression on the Bears coaching staff, he will have to maximize any opportunities he gets from now until the final preseason game.
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If he can stack together some good practices, learn the playbook and make plays if he gets an opportunity in the preseason, then that would put Johnson in a good position to be recognized by another football team if the Bears decide to go in a different direction.
