The Chicago Bears knew coming out of the 2023 season that they had a problem at punter. Trenton Gill had a decent rookie year in 2022 but failed to improve in a single category last year. That realization forced GM Ryan Poles to make a decision. If there was an opportunity to improve at punter in the NFL draft, he’d take it. Remember, most people see drafting specialists as pointless. You can almost always find good ones on the undrafted market. However, Poles knew at least one unique talent was available in the 2024 class. That was Tory Taylor.
Sure enough, the Iowa product was still available for the Bears in the 4th round. Having no picks left at the time, Poles decided to go with it. Every evaluation the team had done confirmed the Australian native had the mixture of leg strength and accuracy to make for a legitimate weapon in the punting game. Former NFL scouting director Greg Gabriel confirmed this. While he acknowledged kicking power as one advantage Taylor has, many people miss what truly makes him special.
He has excellent leg strength to go with outstanding hang time. What makes him more interesting is his ability to spin the ball like a golfer spins an approach shot with a wedge. He is able to get a side spin or backspin on kicks, which helps him avoid kicking too many touchbacks. That skill set can be a huge advantage for the defense as it could give the opposing offense a long field…
…In comparing Taylor to (Matt) Araiza, Araiza may have a slightly stronger leg, but he isn’t able to get the spin on the ball that Taylor gets. That ability to put spin on the ball may be the difference between the two punters when comparing their rookie seasons. Regardless of who performs at a higher level, Taylor is the type of weapon the Bears have never had. It will be very interesting to watch him punt.
Tory Taylor is already living up to his reputation.
Not only is he flashing that booming leg in high, long kicks, but he’s also demonstrating an ability to pinpoint where he wants the ball to go. People talk about such things so casually but rest assured; it is not easy. Few punters ever demonstrate true control of where the ball lands. The last punter employed by the Bears who had terrific accuracy was Brad Maynard, but nobody ever accused him of having a strong leg. It’s almost always one or the other. Having somebody who can do both is rare.
That is why the Bears drafted Tory Taylor. They recognize the different ways he can stress opponents. He can boot a ball 60 yards to flip the field or pin them inside the 10-yard line with one of those craft backspin punts. His only disadvantage is a somewhat slow process, which can lead to occasional blocks. That is something that can be fixed. Either way, Chicago is happy to have him. They know how much he can help their team once he acclimates to the NFL level.
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Belichick would have had his team prepared for a bouncy house situation. His teams worked on every possible scenario.
If he had received his PHD in Physics and Lasers, and had built his own Death Star, he would be even more dangerous.
Maybe if he took 9 laxatives, and then did one thousand sit ups until his abdominals were at peak fatigue, then got in the bouncy house at a kid’s birthday party, he would be even more dangerous.
If Taylor is as good as the Bears think, other teams will have their eye on his production. If he is slow at getting his kicks off, but is dropping them exactly where he wants to, I predict that opposing special teams will change their rush packages to have faster and quicker rushers, fewer players falling back to block and ignoring the return aspect. If the Bears can get him kicking faster (or if they can’t, increasing his protection), those changes will happen and their offensive and defensive line rotations will extend to special teams protection as well. The NFL… Read more »
Writer, you can only go back to the teet for milk so many times when blogging about a punter. Don’t get me wrong, I’m an all 3 phases kinda guy.
Can he get any better in the pros?