Speculation season has arrived, with the NFL's Oct. 31st trade deadline less than two weeks away.
In the coming days, a host of players will be discussed as possible trade candidates -- despite what usually ends up being a quiet deadline compared to other sports.
Players with expiring contracts on clubs off to poor starts are particularly likely to be bandied about as possible trade targets. The logic follows that if an extension wasn't done before -- and if the franchise tag isn't likely to be used on said player -- it's better for a team to get what it can for an impending free agent. Unless a team plans to sit on its hands in the offseason (can bad teams afford to do so?), the compensatory pick formula likely wouldn't come into play for losing a player in free agency.
One player who knows his name will be tossed about is Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson. After sides couldn't reach a long-term agreement this offseason, Chicago general manager Ryan Poles could decide to move on from Johnson, electing to trade the corner and see what younger players can do the rest of the way.
"I'm not oblivious, I'm not blind and I'm not exempt at the end of the day," Johnson said Monday on . "When you trade Roquan (Smith) away, when you trade Robert Quinn away, man, you can trade anybody away. So, I mean, I'm definitely not exempt."
Johnson knows his name will be mentioned in trade speculation (raises hand), but he's not looking to escape Chicago.
"I know what's going on," he said. "I know what is to be figured out and different things like that. At the end of the day, the Bears got to do what's best for them and I got to do what's best for me. Whatever happens with that happens. I'm not forcing anything. Like I've been saying from day one, I want to stay here. This is my first team, my home, I bought a house here, everything. All my plans were to stay in Chicago.
"At the end of the day, it's not about feelings. It's not about what I want or any of that. For me, it's just about continuing to go out there and put great film on tape. Whatever happens after that happens. But at the end of the day, nobody is exempt from being traded."
Johnson got off to a stellar start to his campaign before suffering a hamstring injury. He returned in Week 6. If he stays healthy, there could be a handful of teams calling the Bears about his availability. In a league constantly in need of good cover corners, Johnson could be one of the few available for potential playoff clubs looking to upgrade.
