Chicago Bears 2024 Rookie Preview: Tory Taylor

More than almost any other position, a team’s punter is nearly an afterthought by fans and analysts. No one considers a team’s punting prowess when drawing up power rankings, and for good reason. Punters just don’t move the needle much in a game.

Unless, of course, you have a once-in-a-generation punter, which the Chicago Bears do.

Tory Taylor, an Australian, has spent the last four years as Iowa’s best overall weapon, and he did that as the punter. Last year, he set the NCAA record for most punt yards in a season and ended his college career averaging 46.3 yards per punt, another all-time record. Now, the Bears expect him to bring that same field-flipping ability to Chicago.

Hidden beneath their struggles at much more important positions, punting has remained a persistent problem for the Bears. They could not pin a team deep in their own territory, and anytime a close game came down to field position, the Bears often lost. It was common to see the opponent’s starting position march closer and closer to the endzone as the Bears’ offense continued to stall, and their punter struggled to put much distance on the ball.

Tory Taylor: Weapon #Bears pic.twitter.com/l6KajIgznO

— Chicago Football Connection (@CFCBears) July 26, 2024

Expect that to change immediately in 2024. Taylor has been a low-key star in training camp with daily “wow” plays. He consistently drops punts inside the ten-yard line and has even kicked some that bounce out of bounds at the one-yard line, otherwise known as the “coffin corner.” Media and fans have raved about how much hangtime Taylor puts on his punts and how he can make it spiral awkwardly, making it more difficult to catch cleanly.

Tory Taylor Putting Some Disgusting Side Spin on this Punt pic.twitter.com/om65Cn7uwW

— PAT THE DESIGNER (@PatTheDesigner) August 8, 2024

Obviously, Bears fans and players hope not to see much of Taylor this season. But when he’s called to action, the Chicago Bears can rest assured that he’ll dig the offense out of a hole and give the defense some much-needed breathing room.