Bears’ $76 million star claims the old jersey number of Justin Fields.
One of the Chicago Bears’ stars, quarterback Justin Fields, will already receive his old jersey number for the 2024 campaign.
For the upcoming season, Bears All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson has changed his jersey number from No. 33 to No. 1 (according to the NFL Jersey Numbers account on X), which keeps track of number changes in the league. After Fields was traded to Pittsburgh, the number became available again, even though he had been wearing it for the previous three seasons.
The No. 1 jersey is nothing new to Johnson. During his three seasons at Utah, where he excelled and was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, he wore the number in college. For the first four games, he had worn the No. 33.
During the 2024 offseason, Johnson, 24, signed a four-year, $76 million contract extension that ties him to the Bears through 2027, securing his long-term position with the team. Following a career-best season in 2023 in which he picked off a career-high four passes and allowed just 25 receptions on 50 targets, he received a sizable pay increase. Pro Football Focus awarded him the best coverage grade (91.0) of the campaign.
Regarding Fields, the 2021 first-round selection will no longer don the No. 1 jersey, unlike when he played college ball at Ohio State or with the Bears. Instead, he will play for the Steelers wearing No. 2.
Johnson is not the only Bears player whose number will change for the 2024 campaign. In addition, wide receiver Tyler Scott, a 2023 fourth-round selection, changed his rookie jersey number from No. 10 to No. 10, which Chase Claypool previously wore for the Bears. But it’s worth delving into the significance of the currently available No. 13.
Presumptive No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, whom Chicag
Maybe Allen will follow Johnson’s lead and go back to wearing No. 21, his college uniform number. Wide receivers can wear any number between No. 0 and No. 49 (as well as between Nos. 80 and 89) starting in 2023 and beyond, according to the most recent modifications to NFL rule regarding numbers. Allen, who also wore the number while playing football in high school, has the option to play with the Bears as the No. 21 is currently unclaimed.
The NFL now permits players to wear zero, so either Allen or Williams may want to choose No. 0 as their jersey number. When Marcus Mariota signed with the Washington Commanders this offseason, he became the first quarterback to wear the No. 0 jersey, but Williams
o is widely expected to select in the NFL draft, and veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen could both be interested in wearing the No. 13 for the Bears in the upcoming season. In his eleven seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers prior, Allen wore the No. 13, and he might be considering donning it again.
The only Bears to lock in a new number for 2024 are Johnson and Scott; however, Chicago has also assigned numbers to a number of their free agent additions.
After donning the No. 32 jersey for the Detroit Lions and the No. 0 jersey for the Philadelphia Eagles, rising star running back D’Andre Swift will now wear the No. 4 jersey for the Bears. Eddie Jackson, a former starting free safety who the team cut on February 15 to free up about $12.56 million in salary cap space for the Washington Commanders this offseason, was the last Bear to don the No. 4 jersey, but Williams Darnell Mooney’s No. 11 jersey has also been reassigned by the Bears to veteran quarterback Brett Rypien, who joined the team on a one-year contract to compete for the backup position. After spending his first four seasons with the Bears, Mooney signed a new three-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons during 2024’s free agency. Mooney’s 2024 Falcons uniform number will be No. 1.
Safety Jonathan Owens (number 36), defensive end Jake Martin (number 55), offensive lineman Jake Curhan (number 73), Byron Cowart (number 93), and linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga (number 45) are some other noteworthy jersey assignments.
