The Chicago Bears swung a trade with Cleveland for Joe Tryon-Shoyinka on Tuesday. This move gave them some much-needed help on the defensive line. However, GM Ryan Poles wasn't done. He had hoped also to give his injury-riddled secondary a lifeline. The player they had in mind was Alontae Taylor. A veteran cornerback in New Orleans, he'd developed under the watchful eye of Dennis Allen and displayed great versatility. The fit was obvious. All the Bears had to do was find the right compensation.
Until the end, it seemed as though the two sides were on the same page. The deal was close. Then, it fell apart. It wasn't entirely clear why. Thankfully, Jeff Hughes of Sports Mockery provided some clarity. He revealed that both sides were near the finish line. Right as an agreement was about to be reached, the Indianapolis Colts dropped their blockbuster deal for Sauce Gardner. Once New Orleans saw the compensation of two 1st round picks, they increased the asking price for Taylor.
Unsurprisingly, the Bears and every other team backed off.
The Bears can circle back to Alontae Taylor in the spring.
He will be a free agent in 2026. If the Bears want to add some cornerback help at that point, they should have no problem making him an offer. It's hard not to feel like the Saints overplayed their hand. They were all but guaranteed a solid return for Alontae Taylor and got greedy. Now their biggest hope is that he finishes the year strong and inks a large free agent contract in March, thus landing them a compensatory pick in 2027.
If that doesn't happen, GM Mickey Loomis deserves tons of criticism for not getting his team some extra draft help when they had the chance. New Orleans isn't going anywhere. They're in a rebuilding phase. Keeping Taylor won't help their bottom line. So many times the biggest enemy of a franchise is their search for a perfect trade when a good one stares them in the face.
