With significant injury concerns in the secondary and the trade deadline just a couple of weeks away, it seems inevitable that the Chicago Bears will make a move at the trade deadline in an effort to remain competitive this season.
There are a few reasons why it makes sense for both parties, but for the Bears, trading for Saints CB Alontae Taylor would be a logical option to shore up their injury concerns.
Baltimore Isn’t That Bad
The Bears saw their four-game win streak come to an end on Sunday against the now 3-5 Baltimore Ravens, losing 30-16. This was despite superstar Lamar Jackson missing his third straight game, and the Ravens were previously 0-2 without him; Baltimore had scored just 13 total points in those two games.
While this is undeniably a disappointing result for Chicago, there are two reasons why this loss is not as bad as fans are making it out to be.
First, Tyler Huntley made his first start of the season at quarterback after Cooper Rush started the previous two games. Huntley has experience with the Ravens’ playbook and system, serving as the backup from 2020-2023 and making nine starts for them in that span. Given Huntley’s similar play style to Jackson, it is strange that he was not named the starter in favor of Rush to begin with.
Banged Up Bears Secondary
However, the main reason the Bears’ loss is understandable is due to how banged up the secondary is.
Superstar and 2023 All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson has played in just one game all year (Week 2) and is questionable to return at any point in the season. Third-year cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, who has been having a much-needed bounce back season, injured his shoulder during the game against the New Orleans Saints and remained out against Baltimore.
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As if that wasn’t bad enough, Kyler Gordon, the fourth-year cornerback who has oozed talent throughout his young career, hurt his groin and calf during last week’s practice and will miss a minimum of four weeks. Factoring in that cornerback Terell Smith tore his patellar tendon in the preseason, Chicago’s top four cornerbacks entering the season were all ruled out against Baltimore.
Both safeties, Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker, were healthy and available to play. However, this left backups Nahshon Wright, Jaylon Jones, and Nick McCloud as the starting cornerbacks. With Johnson and Gordon out at least another three weeks, and with Stevenson’s status also in question, the backups are likely to remain the starters.
Unless, of course, the Bears make a trade.
Connection with the Saints’ Star
Alontae Taylor is a fourth-year cornerback for the New Orleans Saints. A second-round pick back in 2022, Taylor had an abysmal season last year, receiving a 35.4 PFF coverage grade. That was the lowest mark among all qualified cornerbacks in the NFL, and his struggles led to disagreements in negotiations for a new contract between the two parties.
In a contract year, however, Taylor has been much better, ranking 41st out of 113 qualified cornerbacks by PFF. Taylor is also durable, having played the fourth-most snaps among all cornerbacks. This is crucial for the Bears with all their injury concerns.
Furthermore, Taylor has experience with the Bears’ current defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who was with the Saints all throughout Taylor’s career up until this season. Although he played poorly last year, a lot of his subpar play came after Allen was fired as head coach.
Why This Makes Sense for Both Sides
Chicago, currently sitting at 4-3, is still firmly in the mix for the NFL Playoffs. However, they are in serious need of cornerback help with all their injuries.
With Alontae Taylor knowing Dennis Allen’s preferred scheme and personnel, adding him should be a seamless fit with a minimal learning curve that could help hold the fort down while waiting for the return of Johnson, Stevenson, and Gordon.
Meanwhile, New Orleans sits at 1-7 and are clearly focused on player development rather than competing for a Super Bowl. Their top managerial priority should be stockpiling draft picks, and they would likely receive a Day 3 pick from a cornerback-needy team like Chicago. Given that he is on an expiring contract and is unlikely to come back next season, the Saints may as well get something in return for him.
The first cornerback of the season was traded on Monday, as Roger McCreary was traded to the Los Angeles Rams (5-2) from the Tennessee Titans (1-7) for a late-round pick. Do not be surprised if Chicago follows suit before the end of the trade deadline.
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