As the 2024 season prepares to kick off, two players have stepped to the front of the battle line: Jaylon Johnson and Cole Kmet. These two men share a lot. They were both picked in the 2nd round. Both were handed second contracts after some excellent play over the past couple of seasons. They are also among the few holdovers from the last successful era of Chicago Bears football. The team made the playoffs when they were rookies in 2020. Since then, it’s been a nightmarish slog through a rebuild.