With the trade deadline set to expire at 4 p.m. ET, a few contenders are calling about one of the top players on the market. ESPN’s Ed Werder reports that the Bills and 49ers have discussed potentially trading for Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
Johnson reportedly requested a trade from Chicago ahead of the deadline, as the two sides have failed to find common ground on an extension. The 24-year-old is currently in the final year of his deal and set to hit free agency at the end of the season.
Chicago drafted Johnson in the second round of the 2020 draft, and the cornerback has been a mainstay in the secondary since. In parts of four seasons with the Bears, Johnson has started in 45 games, totaling 143 tackles and three interceptions.
Buffalo and San Francisco are both built to win now, but have dealt with issues in their secondaries to start the season. The Bills lost star cornerback Tre’Davious White to an Achilles injury in early October, while the 49ers are currently on a three-game losing streak.
According to Werder, the Cowboys are one team not currently in the mix for Johnson, despite losing cornerback Trevon Diggs for the season with an ACL injury.