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Bears’ Jaylon Johnson will be back soon. What it means for ‘undersung’ hero leading NFL in INTs
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- Bears’ Jaylon Johnson will be back soon. What it means for ‘undersung’ hero leading NFL in INTs
The post Bears' Jaylon Johnson will be back soon. What it means for 'undersung' hero leading NFL in INTs appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Chicago Bears ' injured defense will soon see a massive return in the form of cornerback Jaylon Johnson . However, Nahshon Wright has played himself into a larger role.
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Wright is tied with teammate Kevin Byard for the NFL lead in interceptions with five. Even when Johnson does make his return, head coach Ben Johnson still expects Wright to have a sizable role , via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.
"He's done a phenomenal job," Johnson said of Wright. "I think he has certainly earned play time."
The cornerback's fifth pick of the season came in jaw dropping fashion. On Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph's first throw of the game , Wright batted the ball to himself for the interception. Johnson was highly impressed with the play. But it's Wright's all around game that will keep him on the field.
"One of the most athletic plays and phenomenal catches I've seen in a long time," Johnson said. "Not to mention, I thought what's undersung about what Shonny is doing right now is how much he's influencing the run game as well. He's coming up, he's tackling the ball carrier, they're throwing a bubble screen and he's knifing through the play there."
Alongside his five interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown, Wright has put up 49 tackles and 10 passes defended. While his 52.5 grade from Pro Football Focus shows there is still improvement to be made, the cornerback's ball hawking ability has completely changed Chicago's defense.
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Adding Johnson back into the mix will only make things scarier. But Wright and fellow signee CJ Gardner-Johnson have both earned more playing time. It's a problem the Bears would rather have, too many pieces in the secondary, rather than a lack of. Still, Johnson – the head coach – and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will need to make some crucial decisions once everyone is healthy.
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