The Chicago Bears' thin secondary depth was tested last Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. Both Nahshon Wright and Tyrique Stevenson left the game with injuries. While Wright wasn't sidelined for long, Stevenson missed the entire second half with a shoulder injury. Currently, Stevenson's status going forward is unknown, but Bears fans will learn more on Wednesday afternoon.
That said, if it turns out that Stevenson is going to be sidelined for a prolonged period of time, Chicago will likely need to trade for a cornerback before the deadline. Luckily, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, there may be a perfect fit for the Bears.
In a recent article, Fowler listed Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor as a potential trade candidate. Fowler said," This would be a surprise but is still one to watch. The Saints don't want to trade Taylor but would consider it if they receive a strong offer." Although the Bears may not be willing to spend a ton on Taylor, he still remains intriguing given his ties to the coaching staff.
Saints CB Alontae Taylor Would be a Perfect Fit in Chicago
Current Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen drafted Taylor in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old played two and a half seasons in Allen's scheme when he was the head coach. As a rookie, Taylor played in 13 games and made nine starts as an outside cornerback.
In those appearances, he recorded a 48.5 completion percentage against him. Despite that being a strong number, he earned an underwhelming 56.3 coverage grade, according to PFF. Following his rookie season, Taylor took over the slot cornerback role for his second season and half of his third season.
During those two seasons, his pass coverage grades weren't great, with a 51.8 in 2023 and a 35.4 in 2024. Moreover, he allowed a completion percentage of over 60% in both of those seasons.
This season, the Saints moved the 26-year-old back into the slot. Although he has recorded his best pass coverage grade of his career at 67.6, he is also allowing his highest completion percentage against at 67.5% (27/40). That high completion percentage against could be a deterrent in trading for him.
Even so, the benefits of acquiring Taylor might outweigh that if Stevenson's injury is expected to be longer than one or two weeks. Unlike trading for a player like Riq Woolen, Taylor wouldn't have to learn Allen's system. This would allow him to hit the ground running and help the defense right away.
It will be interesting to see the severity of Stevenson's injury and if Ryan Poles makes a move at cornerback.