Coming off a miraculous win in Week 9, the Chicago Bears' needs were clear at the NFL trade deadline: cornerback and pass rusher. They landed Joe Tryon-Shoyinka from the Cleveland Browns, but they didn't fix their cornerback issues.
That wasn't for a lack of trying, however. While Sauce Gardner drew the most attention at the deadline, there were a few other cornerbacks dealt, or that could've been dealt, that would've landed the Bears some much-needed cornerback help.
According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the Bears and Ryan Poles were deep in trade talks with the New Orleans Saints for Alontae Taylor to bolster their injured cornerback room.
Bears nearly had a trade for Saints' Alontae Taylor at NFL deadline
"In fact, sources say the Bears were deep in talks for Taylor before a deal ended up falling through." Rapoport writes.
Taylor has a link to Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. Reuniting Taylor with his former head coach in New Orleans would've been a great way to more easily bring in a new cornerback to the roster.
The Saints' cornerback is in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent after the season is up. His status as a rental made the 27-year-old cornerback difficult to trade for.
He'd cost multiple day-three picks, and the Bears and Poles might not have been willing to part with that much for a rental. But, they could've used the veteran corner badly.
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Chicago's cornerback room has been hit hard with injuries this season. Jaylon Johnson has missed every week since Week 2, while Kyler Gordon landed on injured reserve after a brief return to the roster after missing the first four weeks of the season.
Nashon Wright, Tyrique Stevenson, and Jaylon Jones are the lone healthy Bears cornerbacks. C.J. Gardner-Johnson has signed on as the team's nickel cornerback, but the overall cornerback room is very much in question.
Landing Taylor, an outside cornerback with a connection to the Bears' defensive coordinator, would've been a great move. But, despite the Bears' interest, they couldn't swing a trade with the Saints, as the deal fell through before the deadline.
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