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Young: Bears' D more 'sound' than Detroit's

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- It’s a tad premature to start the usual back and forth between the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, but former Lions defensive end Willie Young indicated Thursday that his new scheme is a little more complicated than what he had become accustomed to in the Motor City.

Asked how much he’s learned playing in a new scheme with so many fresh faces, Young took a small swipe at Detroit’s scheme.

“You can learn a lot, actually,” Young said. “Coming from a scheme I came from in Detroit, you know, you didn’t have too many responsibilities should I say besides getting after the quarterback and doing everything on the run. But here, [we’re] a lot more fundamentally sound, and everyone’s held accountable.”

Young didn’t divulge details or share intricacies of Detroit’s system, but spoke positively when asked whether the Lions utilized his skill set properly.

“I’ll tell you what, it took a seventh-round draft pick, and I guess got him paid to some degree,” Young said, laughing.

Young signed a three-year contract with the Bears in March worth $9 million with $4 million in guarantees to become a part of Chicago’s makeover along the defensive line. Young, 28, played the previous four years in Detroit, and produced a breakout season in 2013 when finally given an opportunity.

Young started 15 games last season and contributed three sacks to go with 48 quarterback hurries. Young also proved himself a capable run defender.

In discussing the prospect of facing his former team on Thanksgiving in Detroit, Young said it’s going to “be interesting.”

Young smiled when asked about finally receiving an opportunity to go full speed at former teammate Matthew Stafford.

Young went after Stafford “a few times” in practice, “but I wasn’t allowed to hit him.”

“This will definitely be a different taste,” he added.