Bears officially announced the signing of their new slot corner!
We got the reports on Twitter that Tavon Young would be coming to Chicago a few days ago. However, it was not official. Well, now it is. The official Bears page has announced the signing of CB Tavon Young to a one-year deal.
Young is 28 years old. He previously played for the Baltimore Ravens. He was a 4th round selection by Baltimore and he started 24 games in his first 6 seasons.
He has a very difficult history of injuries. In fact, Young suffered three different season-ending injuries, costing him all of his 2017 (knee) and 2019 (neck) campaigns and most of 2020 (knee). Those injuries derailed a career that looked so promising. Prior to his 3rd year in Baltimore, Young signed what was then the richest contract for a slot cornerback following a breakout 2018 season.
However, the good news is that Young was able to fight back and play all 17 games last year without getting injured. This was a great sign!
Young is 5'9" 185lbs, tough-nosed, has good instincts for the ball, and can come up and make an open-field tackle. He is a sideline to sideline speed kind of player who covers ground quickly and is quick to the ball like Eberflus said he's looking for in his defensive players; guys who run around and hustle to the ball.
Young was such a beloved player in Baltimore by both his teammates and the fans. When the news of his release got out, there were dozens of Twitter responses from his teammates saying what an amazing player he was on and off the field.
I truly believe Young is a very talented player that can thrive in Matt Eberflus' system which should fit very well his game. Eberflus will be able to utilize him the same way he was used in Baltimore. Young is also an amazing tackler at the cornerback position. A lot of players in the secondary are afraid to get physical, but he is not one of them. This move could yield tremendous dividends for the Bears next season.
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