Signing a free agent that comes in and helps your team improve is great. Signing a free agent that helps your team and takes that player away from a divisional rival is even better. That’s what happened in 2014 when the Bears landed defensive end Willie Young on a three-year contract worth $9 million.
Young, drafted in the seventh-round out of North Carolina State, spent the first four seasons of his career with the Detroit Lions. He never was able to reach his potential there, however, as the Lions rarely used Young until his final season with the team.
That year, Young was credited with a career-high 47 tackles, while adding three sacks. He also happened to start 15 of the 16 games he played. Despite working his way into the starting role, the Lions failed to do enough to get Young to return.
Chicago was more than happy with the way things unfolded, as he came in and outperformed the contract he agreed to. In his first season with the Bears, Young had his best season, registering 10 sacks. He then had to learn a new role in 2015, as the Bears converted to a 3-4 defense.
While he was never able to duplicate his double-digit sacks, Young proved to be a good player as an outside linebacker as well. He had 6.5 sacks in 2015 and another 7.5 in 2016. Unfortunately, things fell off for him after that.
Young managed to play just four games in 2017 due to a torn triceps. After spending that season on Injured Reserve, he was released, despite having one more year on his contract. Young was out of football in 2018. At 33 years of age, he probably won’t play in the NFL again.