Should the Bears extend Willie Young's contract?

Rumors have been circulating that the Bears may be trying to work out a contact extension for defensive end-turned-outside linebacker Willie Young.

Young is entering this third season with the Bears and the final year of the $9 million deal he inked in 2014 under former GM Phil Emery.

However, Young has outplayed that deal and has actually become one of the bright spots on a bad defense. Young has notched 16.5 sacks as a Bear after having only six over his first four seasons in Detroit.

He has endeared himself to Bears fans with a fun-loving personality and has "going fishing" sack celebration.

However, Young has playfully voiced a displeasure with playing as a stand-up linebacker. Granted he never defied coaches or refused to play or anything that would constitute a distraction, but Young has been resistant to embrace the stand-up linebacker label.

There were rumors circulating for weeks early last season that Young had requested a trade.

Over the final seven games, Young racked up 5.5 of his 6.5 sacks and seemed to be adapting to the Bears' new scheme, as well as getting back to 100 percent following the Achilles injury that ended his 2014 season early.

But the contract extension talks still seem a bit odd.

Young has been productive and while he's never been a distraction, it's still worth asking; does Young want to play in a 3-4 system long term?

Why should the Bears even be worried about getting a contract extension done with him when they have a player who was similarly productive in Lamarr Houston who is also younger? The team recently drafted Leonard Floyd to be the pass rusher of the future too.

The Bears have been trying to get younger and add faster pass rushers to add to their arsenal of physical/violent rushers like Young, Pernell McPhee and Houston.

By most accounts Young is a fine teammate and a productive player but after only one season and 6.5 sacks in a 3-4 system and at 30 years old, is he really a player worthy of a contract extension?

Do you think Young should be getting new money?