Unbeknownst to fans, a team other than the Indianapolis Colts were close to trading for Alontae Taylor. Dennis Allen and the Chicago Bears were interested in the cornerback, but the trade fell through. Although the compensation would be nice, the New Orleans Saints must be thrilled he’s on their roster after Taylor’s performance against the Carolina Panthers.
Every year, you have reports of deals that almost happened around the trade deadline, and this year was no different. NFL insider Ian Rapoport detailed the fallout of the trade deadline. He noted how Taylor was close to being dealt for the Colts before they traded for Sauce Gardner, which was known, then Rapoport revealed how close Taylor was to moving to the Windy City.
“In fact, sources say the Bears were deep in talks for Taylor before a deal ended up falling through,” Rapoport wrote. He went on to point out Taylor's obvious connection to former Saints head coach turned Bears defensive coordinator. Clearly, Allen was in a mood to reunite, because after this trade fell through, Chicago quickly scooped up C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The results have been better than anyone expected.
The Bears were a great landing spot for Alontae Taylor, but he fits better on the Saints
Taylor has proven to be impactful in Allen's scheme, so there's no doubt Taylor would’ve thrived in a reunion. In addition, the Bears have a clear need in the secondary, so he would see meaningful snaps. Regardless of all this, the Saints are still the perfect team for him. That was evident in his performance in the Saints 17-7 win against the Panthers.
Taylor had six tackles, a tackle for loss, and an interception on Sunday. What makes him so impactful is how he produces in multiple areas. Taylor obviously plays a big role in pass coverage but frequently makes plays as a run defender and a pass rusher.
This makes him the perfect player for Brandon Staley’s defensive scheme. Staley allows Taylor to play all over and maximizes his role by letting him do different things. His role could be completely different in three consecutive snaps. This keeps the quarterback guessing and puts Taylor in his best role to succeed.
The Saints nearly traded Alontae Taylor twice, but in retrospect, it may have been the right move to keep him. He would have thrived in the Bears system, but he’s playing his best football in New Orleans currently.