The Bears almost made another big move before the trade deadline

The Bears were reportedly close to bringing Dennis Allen's old friend over to the Windy City.

Nov 2, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum (22) carries the ball as New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (1) defends during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Bears were close to reuniting Dennis Allen with an old friend from his days in New Orleans.

Chicago was reportedly close to pulling off a deal that would've brought Saints' cover man Alontae Taylor to Chicago, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport.

2025 NFL trade deadline fallout: Bears were deep in talks with Saints for CB Alontae Taylor but deal fell through, per @RapSheet https://t.co/w9BwTi3Snq pic.twitter.com/XMd3oQFgCS

— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) November 8, 2025

It's easy to see why Taylor was an alluring option for Chicago. He has familiarity with Allen's scheme after playing under him for the first two (and a half) years of his career.

Taylor also has position versatility, having an extensive history of playing both in the slot and on the outside throughout his career. That would be a huge added element, considering so much is up in the air regarding the health of Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson.

The major downside of a potential trade for Taylor is the fact that he's currently in a contract year. The Bears would have to decide whether to resign him (to a potentially hefty contract) in the offseason or let the player they just traded draft capital for walk after only eight or nine games.

With how much money they have tied up in the secondary, it's fair to wonder if they would've been able to pull off an extension. It's also fair to wonder if doing so would even make sense with Stevenson playing well. They don't really need another starting-caliber corner in the secondary beyond this season. They just need their guys to get healthy.

Still, considering they're 5-3 and Nahshon Wright has been their biggest liability, it would be a move that I would've applauded if they acquired him for similar compensation (or a bit more) that they gave up for Joe Tryon-Shroyinka. That would be worth it, even if they wound up losing him in free agency.

The Saints were reportedly looking for much more in return, though. ESPN Reporter Jeremy Fowler reported that New Orleans was hoping to receive an early day three pick for the 26-year-old.

There's always a catch, isn't there? That's simply too much for someone who will need to be resigned in the offseason. Adding him to the fold would've been fun for the short term, but it wouldn't be worth it for that type of compensation over the long run.

The Bears' brass were smart for checking in on Taylor's status in the Big Easy. They were much smarter for backing out when it became clear the asking price was too rich, though.

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