For the past six weeks, cornerback Jaylon Johnson was forced into a backseat view of the Chicago Bears’ first training camp under head coach Ben Johnson. He’s hoping to get the firsthand experience this week.

Jaylon Johnson met with reporters Tuesday for the first time since camp started and disclosed that he suffered a groin injury over the offseason that kept him away from practice all of camp. He’s hoping to be cleared to practice Tuesday to get ready for the Bears’ season opener against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday.

“I’m doing everything I can to play,” Jaylon Johnson said at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. “I know I had a good workout this morning, so I’m feeling good, probably the best I felt all [training camp], but just trying to do everything I can to be back.”

Jaylon Johnson said he suffered the “freak” injury when he was doing releases while working out with wide receivers during the offseason. It was the same movement Jaylon Johnson said he’s made plenty of times. But when it happened, he knew instantly that it would keep him away from the field for a while.

The Bears placed him on the non-football injury list at the start of camp, which limited his time with his teammates. He was allowed to be a part of meetings, but mostly spent time with the strength conditioning team in the training room.

Jaylon Johnson was forced to watch camp practices through the windows when the Bears practiced at Halas’ near fields. It was worse when the team practiced on the far field. He could only watch when the Bears held their joint practices with the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills.

The rehab wasn’t frustrating for Jaylon Johnson, but it wasn’t ideal. He’s done everything he can to get back onto the field as soon as possible.

“It was just like in that moment, just letting God work through me and around me in whatever way it looked like, whatever he was protecting me from, or preparing me for, I was taking it head-on,” Jaylon Johnson said. “So, it’s definitely been a journey.”

The Bears are hoping to add Jaylon Johnson back into the mix after having an injured secondary for most of camp.

On top of Jaylon Johnson’s injury, the Bears were also without nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon with a hamstring injury for parts of camp. Backup cornerback Terell Smith suffered a knee injury that will keep him away this season.

Jaylon Johnson said his availability for Monday’s game will be dependent on how he’s feeling throughout the week. The Bears activated him from the NFI list last week, and coaches will be cautious about how he does after putting the pads back during practices.

“Whenever a guy misses that significant amount of time, you’re very cautious in making sure that injury doesn’t reoccur again,” Ben Johnson said. “I know he’s feeling significantly better than obviously he was from the start. We’ll see what he looks like moving around and hopefully take it from there. I know he’s excited to get back out with his teammates here soon.”

Whenever he does come back, Jaylon Johnson is looking forward to playing in defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s system. The defense calls for plenty of man-to-man coverage, and Jaylon Johnson will want to prove he can excel in it as a former All-Pro and Pro Bowler.

“I’m doing everything I can to play. I know I had a good workout this morning, so I’m feeling good, probably the best I felt all [training camp], but just trying to do everything I can to be back.”

—  Jaylon Johnson, Chicago Bears cornerback

The secondary has looked good during camp, with cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson and Nahshon Wight stepping in and safety Jaquan Brisker coming back to the field. Jaylon Johnson’s trying to add on to it as quickly as he can.

“I loved it,” Jaylon Johnson said of the defense. “I think it’s one of those things where it’s energy-driven. I feel like the more that we had energy, the more dominant we were that day. And I feel like the times where we didn’t have that energy, it kind of showed in some of the execution. So I think really, for me, coming back is just bringing that energy, bringing that juice, and then, of course, dominating in coverage. And that’s going to be something that I’m going to be able to do this year. So I’m looking forward to it.

Braxton Jones will start at left tackle

Ben Johnson officially announced Tuesday that Braxton Jones will start at left tackle against the Vikings.

“He knows what he’s doing,” Ben Johnson said. “Is it perfect every play? No, it’s not. But we did see the execution go up over the course of the last few weeks. So there is a trust level in him knowing what to do. We think that he’s gonna continue to ascend the more reps that he gets.”

Jones will start after competing for the spot all of training camp against rookie Ozzy Trapilo, Theo Benedet and Kiran Amegadjie. He previously started 40 games at the spot over the past three seasons after the Bears drafted him in the fifth round in 2022 out of Southern Utah.

Although Jones was named the starter, it isn’t set in stone. Ben Johnson previously said the competition could continue into the season if the Bears don’t see what they like at the position.

But Jones was proud of how he competed in camp to get his old spot back after he suffered a severe ankle injury toward the end of last season.

“I do feel that way,” Jones said. “Obviously, if there’s still something to be shown, there’s still something to be shown. But regardless of the case, I’ve shown up each week and, coming back from this injury, done everything I can, and I’m still getting there, too. Obviously, as the season goes, you get better each and every week. So I’m excited for that as well.”

Bears name captains

Ben Johnson announced Tuesday who the Bears players voted to be their captains this season.

Quarterback Caleb Williams, offensive lineman Joe Thuney, safety Kevin Byard, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and kicker Cairo Santos were voted to be captains by their teammates. Ben Johnson also announced that there would be an additional weekly captain as well.

“It was good to see those guys kind of rally around that crew,” Ben Johnson said. “Lot of respect for that voting process, and to be well respected by your peers like that goes a long way.”