The Chicago Bears made a bold move when they selected punter Tory Taylor in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft. General manager Ryan Poles doesn’t care what anyone thinks as he is building the team the way that he wants to. So far, he has mostly had hits so he is in the good graces of fans right now.
The punter he selected isn’t just any punter either. Taylor is one of the greatest punters we’ve ever seen come through the draft. His play at the University of Iowa was thrilling to watch. He can kick the ball in a way that nobody the Bears had available to them can. There is a chance that Taylor is one of the best in the NFL right away based on his film from college.
Taylor is a player who will impact the Bears more than people think. It’s very important to have a great punter when you’re a young up-and-coming team. There is a rookie quarterback in Caleb Williams with some new weapons there that may take some time to get going in each game.
Having a punter like Taylor could mask any mistakes made by the offense because the opposition won’t be getting a favorable field position. With the defense that they are building, it could work out well for everyone.
We know that Williams already texted Taylor saying he won’t have to punt all that often. The confidence is wonderful, but the reality is that an elite punter will help everyone on the roster when you think about it deeply. This was a great move by Poles.
It won’t be fun to see him come out onto the field because it means the Bears aren’t scoring on that drive, but it is comforting knowing that Chicago has a weapon who can flip the field like Taylor.
