Why Alontae Taylor still makes sense for the Bears |
Dustin Riese
· · 5 hours ago
Going back to the NFL Trade Deadline several weeks ago, it's no secret that the Bears were looking to upgrade their roster and were willing to be as aggressive as necessary to do it. Even if the deals they made didn't scream aggressive, the ones they didn't make proved otherwise, as the Bears were in contact with several teams about high-quality players.
The most notable being Jermaine Johnson of the Jets, who appeared to be their top choice at the deadline, only for his asking price to reach a point the Bears weren't willing to meet. You also have the reports about the Bears initially contacting the Browns about Myles Garrett, knowing all too well that his name was not only the block as they would up getting Joe Tyron-Shoyinka from Cleveland after those conversations ended. Sure, Shoyinka does add some depth to a struggling pass rush, but he isn't Johnson nor Garrett, so how much does that move push the needle? Another area the Bears tried to address was the secondary, which has been ravaged by injuries. Losing Kyler Gordon is one thing, but losing Jaylon Johnson for the entire season thus far is an entirely different mountain to climb, as the Bears have struggled to keep enough healthy bodies in the secondary. While they didn't trade for secondary help, the Bears did dive into the free-agent market and were able to land CJ Gardner-Johnson, the week before the trade deadline, who has already made a massive impact on the Bears' defense in just two games. As good as he has been, that hasn't stopped Chicago from keeping tabs on the open market, as they brought in Asante Samuel Jr. a few weeks ago for a workout, only for him to sign with the Steelers. His addition would have been huge for the Bears, and it would have given them a massive insurance policy until other guys came back. Another trade that was being discussed up to the final moments of the deadline was between the Saints and Bears, as Chicago was close to acquiring Cornerback Alontae Taylor from the Saints. Taylor has a long relationship with Dennis Allen, dating back to his days with the Saints, so you can see why there was interest. Despite the deal falling through at the last minute, could the Bears re-engage those talks during the offseason to replace Gardner-Johnson and add depth to what has been, at times, the biggest weakness this season? When it comes to Taylor, he may not be as well-known a defensive back as he should be, but that doesn't mean he hasn't earned his keep as a player. Since breaking into the league in 2022, Taylor has been a fixture for the Saints' defense, starting nine games as a rookie, where he came away with 11 pass breakups and no interceptions. In the years since, Taylor has played in virtually every game for the Saints, and despite not producing at the level a top corner would, he continues to make a massive impact in the secondary. For example, Taylor has recorded three career interceptions through this point, including one this season. He has also added five more pass breakups this season, bringing his career total to 46, which goes to show he isn't afraid to stick his nose in the middle of a play to make something happen. Along with the pass breakups come 19 tackles for a loss and six career sacks as Taylor has no trouble flying around the field to get after the ball carrier. Those types of players aren't easy to come by, so when one becomes available, it will draw the attention of many teams, including the Bears. Given his experience with Allen and playing three seasons under his system, this would be an easy transition for Taylor should the Bears elect to kick the tires on a potential trade this summer. No one wants to talk about next season yet, as the Bears are in the middle of an intense NFC Playoff race, but his name is going to be one to watch this offseason with the Bears and several other teams.
