The Bears finally addressed their cornerback room, by officially signing Tavon Young to a one-year deal on Monday.
Young has spent his entire six-year career with the Ravens, after Baltimore selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. He won the Ravens’ Ed Block Courage Award last season when he played in all 17 games, after missing the entire 2019 season, and 14 games in 2020 due to various injuries. Young also missed all of the 2017 season with an ACL injury.
When he was healthy, Young was the Ravens’ primary slot corner. His play was so reliable on the field that Baltimore signed him to a three-year, $25.8 million deal following the 2018 season. At the time, that was the richest contract in NFL history for a slot corner.
In 50 games, Young has defended 16 passes, with four interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two touchdowns. In addition, he’s racked up 127 tackles and four sacks.
Slot corner is a critical position in Matt Eberflus’ defense, as he said the team will be working in the nickel around 85% of the time. If Young can stay healthy, the Bears hope he’ll be able to lock that position down for 2022.