OL Young's long journey continues with two-year extension

BOURBONNAIS - Just hours after Ryan Pace negotiated his first contract extension as the Bears' general manager by adding two years to outside linebacker Willie Young's deal shortly before midnight, Friday, he characterized it as a win-win situation.

"We did this because of everything he brings to the table," Pace said of Young. "He's a productive player, he's a good player and most importantly he's a good teammate. It's something we've been working on for a while. I know Willie's fired up, and we're fired up."

The deal is the latest segment of what has, for Young, been a long journey from near obscurity, beginning as a lowly seventh-round draft choice of the Detroit Lions in 2010.

"For all the teams that passed me over during the draft," an emotional Young said. "From jacking up Tom Brady a couple years ago and people (saying), 'Who's this blah blah beep, putting his hand on beep beep all this stuff on Tom Brady?' I laugh at those people.

"I was always counted out. There's only a handful of people that actually believed in me. It means a lot. Seventh-round draft picks don't hang around that long. You expect to be a practice squad guy and that's it. I think Mr. Irrelevant (the last pick in the draft) got more attention than I got when I came out that year."

Young was about to enter the final year of the three-year, $9 million deal he signed with the Bears as an unrestricted free agent in 2014. The terms of his extension were not revealed, but it is believed to include a signing bonus on top of his $2.45 million base salary this year and a raise.

In 2014, Young's first season with the Bears, he led the team with 10 sacks but suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon that landed him on injured reserve before the final game.

Young started slowly last season while still working his way back from the injury and had just 1 sack in the first nine games. But he finished with a flourish, getting at least 1 sack in each of the next five games, and he said he never doubted he'd return with a vengeance.

"I got two little boys (10 and 4 years old) that look up to me," he said. "I refuse to let them down. Never at one time did I have a negative thought about a blown Achilles, career-ending and whatnot. My biggest concern was my opportunity to show the coaches that I can play this game at a high level."

Young finished the season with 6½ sacks and also led the team with 12 tackles for loss, was eighth in total tackles with 47 and had 1 of just 8 Bears interceptions.

It was during Young's second-half surge that Pace identified him as a player worth committing to for the future. And even though the 6-foot-4, 258-pound Young will be 31 in September, Pace believes he's still an ascending player.

"Midway through last year he was fully healthy, and he was just excelling," Pace said. "You could see it. You could feel him getting comfortable, and he's getting so many reps now, the dropping in coverage and those things are becoming easier for him. I still think he's going to get better in this scheme the more reps he gets."

The injury wasn't the only obstacle Young had to deal with in 2015. Because the Bears switched from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4, Young became an outside linebacker after five seasons as a defensive end. He half-jokingly resisted the title "linebacker," saying that he still considered himself a defensive end. By whatever name, Young's all-around contributions made him a player the Bears clearly prioritized.

"It feels good to reward somebody that's worked as hard as he's worked and overcome the injury last year, and (is) the leader that he is out there mentoring our younger players," Pace said. "I feel really good about it. It's good for our locker room; it's good for our team."

Young will be 33 by the final year of his extension, but Pace isn't concerned that his skills will diminish any time soon.

"He takes care of his body," the G.M. said. "He doesn't let himself get overweight or out of shape. He eats healthy.

"He fishes a lot," Pace joked, referencing Young's off-the-field passion. "But (seriously), I feel like he's a player with low mileage."

Young was mostly a situational pass rusher in his four seasons with the Lions, who drafted him 213th overall out of North Carolina State, although he did start 15 games in 2013.

Because his pass-rush prowess is so noticeable, Young's overall game is overlooked by some, but not the Bears.

"He's not a one-trick pony," Pace said. "He can win multiple ways in his pass rush. But he sets the edge really stout. You'd think for a guy that tall and lean you'd worry about stoutness. We don't at all because he's got some good upper-body strength, and he uses his hands well, and he separates (from blocks) and sheds (blockers). He's a well-rounded player that's adjusted well to the scheme."

Young said his plot to forge the contract extensions was simple.

"I made a couple plays," he said. "Made a few more plays, went home in the off-season, caught a couple fish."

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