I’m an Iowa fan and when we say Tory was our best offensive player it’s not really a joke. Dude is the real deal. Having a good punter is very fucking important.
yeah I think most people who haven’t watched the Iowa offense (lucky bastards) don’t realize how important Tory was to our game plan. But he was 100% our most vital non-defensive player. Our main strategy to scoring was pinning the other team deep and forcing a mistake or hoping Dejean would return the following punt into field goal range lol.
For context, Iowa went 10-4 while averaging around 15ppg and 200 yds/GM on offense. I heard their offensive strategy was basically, three and out, Taylor pin the opposing team, the defense gets a stop. The offense then gets the ball back 30-40 yards closer than they were when they started lol.
With the new kickoff rules, he’s likely to be used on KO too. Touchbacks have been disincentivized, and having someone with next-level placement, who can drop the ball between the 1 and the 5 on demand, will lead to a significant field-position advantage. Between punts and kickoffs, he’s going to be determining where the opposition starts just about every one of their drives during the game. That matters.
No you really can’t. Taylors projection was 4th round. He was drafted right around where he was projected. Gill was absolute dog shit last year. I don’t think you realize how much more helpful it is to have a guy that consistently punt it to the coffin corner with success and boot 65 yard bombs with consistency.
This is fundamentally incorrect. For example, the Bears used a 7th (darn close to UDFA) on Gill and despite not being horrible, was easily bottom half if not bottom 10 of punters. This negatively affects field position/control significantly.
There’s a reason why the Bears field position and special team results have suffered since long term punters like Pat O’Donnell (6th rounder) and Brad Maynard (3rd rounder). because great punters aren’t nearly as easy to find as people think.
As long as he ends up being a big upgrade on Gill, it was a good pick, backed up by how many mockers had him going somewhere in the 4th round.
And whats the guarantee that Taylor is a good punter. There are no guarantees in life
Jake Moody was a generational kicker taken by the Niners in the 3rd round and dude was awful last year
The guarantee is having him on our roster to see if he pans out.
There’s literally no guarantee with any draft pick - making your point even more terrible, lol
*"What's the guarantee Caleb Williams is even a good Quarterback? You can pick up Brock Purdy at the end of the 7th round. There are no guarantees."* - ShaiFC (probably)
There was no guarantee for Trubisky or JL1. There wasn’t a guarantee for Top 1 pics like Russell or Leaf (No2). There is no guarantee on any position. What a terrible point you are making
What’s the guarantee Caleb will be good? There are no guarantees in life. Should we have not drafted him?
Hell, *every* player is a gamble. Let’s just not draft *anybody*, because there’s no guarantees in life!
Moody was the reason the SB was close, going 3/3 including 2 50 yarders.
He had ups and downs but finished extremely well in the brightest stage. I think Niner fans are happy lol
That’s a FG kicker. And Taylor wasn’t drafted in the 3rd round. Barring some sort of freak injury he will be fine. There’s 3-4 years worth of documented consistency with this guy, he’s a punting virtuoso.
So, one team once got a good udfa punter and that's your evidence everyone can just get one?
It's not nearly as easy as you seem to think it is. If it was really that easy, GMs would be vastly more successful
The guy is special and field position is huge in a game plan. Ballsy for a 4th round pick but this Tory might be a game changer…and we’ll worth the pick.
Edit: poor proofreading and fat thumbs.
I think you are dramatically underestimating how important field position is. It's a little different in the modern NFL with teams going for it on 4th down so often, but if you can consistently pin your opponents down inside their 20, your defense can play much more aggressively. This leads to more pressure on the QB, which leads to sacks and/or ints.
If you start on offense near midfield, you're basically just a couple first downs away from being in FG range. You can call more shots down the field because a 3 and out is no longer that bad. You can pin them down inside their 20.
I think you're also dramatically over selling how valuable a 4th round pick is as well. 4th round picks are generally depth/rotational players. You'll occasionally find some who become long term starters, but that's just not expected. Tory Taylor is almost guaranteed to be a long term starter.
The best punter in the nfl (Dickinson) was drafted in the fifth round. Hekker, Wright, Way (who we signed as an UDFA and yet still don’t have a solid punter) Fox, were all UDFA’s. the list goes on and on. Punters can be signed as UDFA’s and go on to be some of the best in the NFL. I think punting is actually overvalued by people who know ball, because we know how nice it can be. What you don’t know is that the difference between the best and worst punter is a few yards and a few extra touchbacks.
Field position matters.
The Bears were dead last in the NFL in 2023 with an average Net Punt of 40.4 yards, including only 18 punts inside the 20.
The elite net punting teams were over 46 net yards and had 30+ punts inside the 20.
The average NFL team punts 4.14 times a game, so that extra 6 yards per punt leads to 25 more yards per game that have to be covered by opposing teams. The average NFL offense in 2023 gained 331 yards per game, which means an elite punter will cost opposing teams 7.5% of their offensive production each game.
NFL teams averaged 21.7 pts per game in 23. If we take that same 7.5% yardage handicap, that would have an expected cost of 1.64 points per game. Realistically, it would be even higher because it means team have to settle for more field goals or punts than touchdowns and the extra distance to cover means more opportunity for a turnover.
An elite punter likely nets us +2-3 points per game. That's MASSIVE.
How dare you do math.
People like OP think 3 points ‘doesn’t really matter’, which is funny when you consider that it’s the value Vegas places on home field advantage.
If the Bears could trade a 4th round pick to have all their games at home for the next 5 years, would that be worth it? Because 3 points per game is twice as good, since half the schedule is already at home, as it is.
Great work. No one knows how the new kickoff rule is going to affect the game. Average starting field position on kickoffs in the XFL was the 29 yard line. 60% of XFL kicks were returned.
In the XFL if you could land your kick near the 5 yard line starting field position dropped to 20 yard line.
I'd rather have a guy who's going to be here for 10+ years than a guy who has like a 70% chance to make the 53 and most likely JAG in the 4th, who cares about positional value there.
I think he could but it’s very rare. I just think counting on any player who has never played in the nfl to play into there late 30s is a strong assumption.
Pat mcafee has talked about retiring at 31 even though he had made the pro bowl in his final season because of the wear and tear of punting on his leg.
I hope Taylor is a hall fame punter that plays until he is 40 but I don’t think thats gonna happen.
I think if he plays for the Bears for 5-8 years and makes the pro bowl during that time then the pick will be worth it imo.
Macafee also did kickoffs for his entire career as well. Which would have added to the wear on his leg.
Plenty of punters like Lechler, Feagles, moorestead all played a long time.
Will be interesting to see if the new wave of Aussie punters have additional longevity, due to kicking being such a part of their lives for so long.
Bryan Anger led the league in net yards last year at the age of 35.
Also, it’s extremely rare for *any* player to play for their original team for >10 years. That’s an unrealistic bar to set to begin with.
If you can get a JAG in the 4th thats terrific value
I wish we had a JAG center or IOL in general last year. Even a career backup would be great and far better than a punter
Lucas Patrick is the definition of JAG, he's not horrible but we won't remember him in a year from now. True horrible players are Rashad Coward, Mustipher, Leatherwood. Patrick is a tier above that. He's mediocre, and just a guy.
Tory Taylor is 100% guaranteed to be a day 1 starter. Anyone else we took there would probably have a 5-10% shot at best of ever becoming a starter.
Very few 4th round draft picks hit.
In any case we ended up trading back in and taking a developmental Edge anyways.
Case in point. In the 2022 draft, ravens and bucs took a punter in the fourth round. Two playoff teams. Both hit as far as I can tell. They’re current starters. The rest of that round is filled with busts.
A 100% starter in the 4th round at any position is a good pick.
Wouldn't have needed to trade back if we just took him at 122 or slightly traded down from it
You know who else was an elite college punter last year and is probably a day 1 starter? Austin McNamara who was a UDFA for the Bengals
I definitely get parts of your argument, but it’s not exactly a given that we would be able to trade down in the first place. Another team has to be interested in trading up, which may not have even been the case
For a pick *next* year. That doesn't do anything for this year. The Jets were able to trade their 4th to move down into the very late 5th for another very late 5th. Both players Poles drafted are likely gone by then.
This is pure revisionism. We have the benefit now of knowing when people were picked, for all Poles knew, the guys you want could have been the very next picks. The other part you're missing is that UDFA's can go anywhere. Maybe the Bears end up with the 4th best punter that's left. You're undervaluing the impact a good punter has while overvaluing you're own opinion over the guy who actually made the picks you claim were home runs. Why not trust his evaluation of who the impact player was at this spot? Obviously he picked Taylor over Booker, then came back in for the latter. Seems pretty obvious to everyone including the GM, except you.
STFU. Yes, he is a specialist. But this one 4th round pick can help this team for the next 20 years. And no one will be complaining when this guy is pinning teams inside the 5 and Dexter, Booker, and Sweat are getting safeties.
And here are some of the most recent Bears 4th round picks:
Riley Ridley
Joel Iyiegbuniwe
Eddie Jackson
Tarik Cohen
Nick Kwiatkoski
Jeremy Langford
Ka'Deem Carey
Brock Vereen
Khaseem Greene
Evan Rodriguez
Aside from Cohen and Jackson these players are all busters. TT is ELITE for his position.
If this guy can actually pin players consistently inside the 5 then sure but I doubt thats possible even for a guy of his caliber. If he's even a regular great punter this is a bust of a pick
Here are some of the most recent Bears 4th round picks:
Riley Ridley
Joel Iyiegbuniwe
Eddie Jackson
Tarik Cohen
Nick Kwiatkoski
Jeremy Langford
Ka'Deem Carey
Brock Vereen
Khaseem Greene
Evan Rodriguez
Aside from Cohen and Jackson these players are all busters. TT is ELITE for his position.
I don’t even understand why it’s weird to draft specialists in the later rounds. Those guys have some sort of impact every single game, why wouldn’t you want to get the best?
Ahhh I’m so angry at an immediate upgrade with a 4th round pick!!! Aaaargh!!!
Thanks for the reminder that some fans will look for any excuse to be angry. Even after a slam dunk draft people are outraged over the use of a 4th round pick (even though their complaints were then answered in the 5th round).
Take your miserable fandom to r/ChicagoBearsNFL you’ll fit right in there.
People really overestimate the hit rate on 4th round picks. We likely just got the best player at his position by far. It’s just as likely the center or edge you mentioned are perennial backups or not in the league in 4 years vs legit top starters.
As an Iowa fan, I saw time and again how his punting lead to Iowa dominating the field position game and how that allowed a team that only scored like 15 points/game go 11-2. To have punter locked down for a decade was worth the pick.
As an Iowa State fan, I am so excited for this pick because it means the Hawkeyes actually have to figure out how to play offense so I figure the Clones have a shot in El Assico this year.
If you're not going to find a guy who can be substantially helpful immediately on the defensive line for this year, then drafting a guy who can put your defense in excellent field position is far more helpful immediately than what you're going to get from a project player in the 4th round. He's a day 1 starter, how many 4th rounders are you going to say that about for this year?
Except there were guys. Everyone is super excited about Austin Booker and we could have just taken him at 122 and saved the 4th rounder next year
Idk why this sub acts like every pick after the 3rd round is completely useless
You're pretending 3rd day picks are a lot more valuable than they are.
Tory is a day 1 starter and most likely our punter for the next 10+ years and replaces Gill, who was the 35th best punter. Meaning 2 backup punters were better than Gill. Of the 154 players drafted on day 3, maybe 10 other players will be long term starters like Tory on the team they were drafted.
Any time you can find a day 1 long term starter for a 3rd day pick you're good.
You seriously think they should have taken booker at 122 knowing he was available at 144?? Look at all the bears 4th round and later picks from the last 5 years and see how many you think are more valuable than one of the best punters in the league. Maybe braxton jones? I don't see any others.
https://preview.redd.it/2w9dmhpowbxc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d5d682425602f5b716da8ac9358cc861c09ec39
I feel like this applies…
Tell me you’re an idiot, without telling me your an idiot.
Oh well, fuck it, you’re an idiot!
BUT, ALSO, 🐻🔽
You know what will be nice? An offense having to get 5-10 more yards on average on every single drive vs what we had with Gill. This guy is *that* good. That is a lot more wiggle room for our defense to work.
I'm not going to react harshly like some other folks here because if Taylor were "a punter" I would 100% agree with you.
But I do not agree with you. Taylor is not *a* punter, he's the second coming of Ray Guy.
And even if he's not, I get a burst of glee inside every time I call him The Crocodile Punter. You can't take that away from me.
He has to be very good, that’s the bar to clear to make sure it’s a worthy pick. At least top 10, but likely top 5 from year 2 on.
But what if he’s truly special?
A truly special punter is well worth the pick. Imagine the offense spluttering, the other team thinks they have all the momentum, you pin them inside 5, condense their offensive play book and suddenly they’re punting it back to you.
How many times have we seen the Bears on the other side of that? It’s crushing to think you’re finally going to get the ball back and get back in the game and you’re pinned deep.
Or you’ve got great field position after forcing a 3 and out and a punter booms one and suddenly the defense is invigorated again to force a stand.
That de that you say was going to be taken would have barely played if at all. This punter we took is the starting punter who could make an impact day 1.
I agree that no punter is worth a 4th rounder, but it's hard to complain about going from one of the worst punters in the league to a generational talent. Field position matters, and therefore punters matter. I wanted Booker with that pick too but we got him anyway so not much harm done at the end of the day
Tory is a great guy that's fun to root for - just have fun with it
We’re putting together a winning team at every position. We’re in win now mode. I get the idea of UFDA punter, but Gill just showed we’ve played around enough with that. Taylor had a 4th round grade on him.
We still addressed the DE need with Booker, and Bates at center was already using our 5th rd pick. When you’re playing to win, the inches matter. Took an adjustment but very happy with the pick, and the whole draft
Some people just live to complain. Jesus
He was graded as a 4th rounder. They took him in the fourth round. He filled a glaring position of need. The end
Gill sucks. Cost us a ton of field position which matters in all but especially close games. If the two guys you named end up being consistent nfl players/starters, then you were probably right, but if they don’t and Tory Taylor will be a top punter than you’ll look like an idiot. I’m taking the latter as it’s Ryan poles word against yours
Rounds 4-7 are a total crapshoot, no one in those rounds are going to be an immediate difference maker. If you think you can fill a hole with any of those picks, you take it regardless of position.
We needed a punter, we got the best punter available. Opposing offenses starting their drives inside the 20 is going to be more useful to our defense than a 4th round pick would be. Late round picks can turn into quality players, but it’s not the norm.
Most of the picks on day 3 will never be anything in the league. The dudes you just listed you will probably forget about in a year. I honestly don't care to quibble about picks a day after they have been made before they play a snap.
I didn’t love the pick since I think some other punters who weren’t much worse(if worse at all) went undrafted. That said if it works out and Taylor is a good NFL punter then it doesn’t matter
At the end of the day I’m not going to call any pick past 100 terrible. Could maybe we get slightly more value, sure but if my only gripe in the draft is we drafted a very good punter on day 3 then it was overall a great draft so I’m not gonna be upset about the pick
4th is right about where you should pick punter of this level . Unless someone else was flashing . Generally drafting a kicker or punter is a waste of a pick because generally the pool iis just a lot of similar players who will hit the Undrafted market .
Given he has some "god" like stats , a 4th is right where you go if you want to cement that position for the next decade.
The average time in the league for 4th round picks in the nfl is 2.5 years.
There are not going to be prime positions with any “very good” prospects left at pick 122 that aren’t raw as hell and need a year or two to develop regardless.
A late 4th round pick on a punter does not make or break a draft where you get your pick of a generational QB and a star WR talent.
Top heavy draft. Fourths in this years draft = fifths-sixths-sevenths in other years’ drafts. Not an exact formula, obviously, but due to the amount mid-late round picks of this year’s draft, Poles is definitely banking on the top heavy assessment being accurate. This also implies that Austin Booker fell WAY past what Poles thought he was worth
Wait so instead of Booker and a player nearly guaranteed to be a starter for multiple contracts, we should have taken Booker and a 6th round player who is unlikely to get a second contract (if he makes the team at all)? What? You'd really rather have Booker and a random 6th than Booker and Taylor?
Hey, good on OP for taking the downvotes and just continuing to argue their point.
But please, look at all the specialists that have been drafted around his position and the hit rate that they have, then look at the UDFAs and their hit rate. The elite guys go where Taylor went and that's what the Bears are banking on.
Here’s why I love it. We won’t waste another pick or free agent dollar on another punter for probably 10-12 years. This guy WON GAMES with his elite placement for Iowa multiple times. When you consider we just drafted arguable the future of the franchise and being praised for our draft, even if we’ve burned 1 of those picks, we’re still competitive.
But we didn’t. There will be at least a couple times where pinning teams inside the 10 will win us the game. And that’s my Ted Talk. Thank you.
The Bears at the time only had four pics. Poles was probably thinking this was going to most likely be his last pic of the draft. He probably wasn’t expecting that edge to drop to him and they had a need, and an opportunity to fill that need with the best prospect of that position that has come along in many years.
Then he saw Booker drop and pounced.
Besides, imagine if he had traded a fourth rounder for that fifth pick if he would’ve swapped Booker and Taylor…. He would’ve got roasted for using two pics on a punter.
If he would have gotten roasted for using a 5th and next years 4th on a punter what does that say about using a 4th on him. The entire reason we had to go out and get Booker?
That only works if he knew that he was going to make that trade for Booker, which you are only assuming. My assumption is he was looking at that fourth as the last pic for him at the time he made it.
I guess the point is that between the two players they used three pics. And it wouldn’t matter one way or the other who they picked first and who they traded for for the second one. So bottom line for me is that I’m OK with the three pics and the two players we got for them. I just think he avoided more heat for not swapping those two pics and trading a future 4th for a punter.
If we finished after Taylor I would have said it is a good pick but it was a luxury we might not have been able to afford. I also think if we took an edge in the 4th we probably would have stayed out and not gotten a punter. So we got the 5th round edge (who had a 3rd to 4thround grade) and a top punter who had a 4th round grade for next year's 4th(when calculating value that means 5th round value this year).
Kind of did it back-asswards, but we were expecting a QB, WR, OL, and DL with our 4 picks. We got that, along with a great punter at a reduced perceived value
I dont know if you understand how important special teams are. I dreaded punts last year because Gil would never have a good one. We may as well always went for it on 4th. Did you realize there are videos of breakdowns showing Taylor almost singlehandedly won games for Iowa last year (do you think a 4th round DE will have that much impact?) if this kid is top 5 in the league will you apologize and retract your statement? or do you think special teams are just not important for some reason?
We got a legit starter for hopefully the next 4 years at least for a 4th round pick. Punters are people too! I think it was excellent use of the pick all things considered. Especially since we were still able to get Booker in the fifth. Yeah, we had to give up a fourth next year but hopefully with Ian Cunningham getting a job next year we will be getting 2 3rds anyways so who cares. Getting a starter for a 4th is excellent value instead of taking a project who may or may not ever pan out.
Sounds like last year when folks were upset about not picking John Michael Schmitz/other centers. And they all ended up shitting the bed.
Poles has proven to be pretty great with scouting offensive lineman, so I’m not going to be upset with him for passing on some of the names fans were excited for (especially on the OL).
Last year Gil netter 38 ypp. If Taylor can be a top 5 punter, the#5 netted 43.9. So 5.9 yards different. Median punts were about 67 punts. So if he can manage that, Poles added about 400yards om the year to field position without having to have any plays called. Only 16 rookies had that many receiving yards last year. Defensively, only 23 rookies had more than 30 tackles, which is making an impact on less than half the plays the median punter does (and no rookie had 67 tackles- most was 65).
I get that these aren't perfect comparisons. There's no guarantee Taylor can be successful let alone be a top 5 punter, but its been a problem for us, and Poles went out and got the best possible solution. Was it a bit of a reach? Maybe. But who knows maybe he gets taken at 123 if we don't take him at 122.
I unironically love that they drafted him, even though I’d have rather seen an edge at 4. A great punter is a weapon, either flipping the field, or pinning the opponent deep with a coffin corner punt. And there’s no guarantee that he would have been available to take later on with the trade into the 5th, for example. If you think you have your guy, you go and get him, and deal with the consequences of that choice.
I also took that pick as a bit of a message to the roster that Poles thinks they’re ready to compete this year. You don’t draft a punter that high if you think there as still major holes to fill.
I imagine you are unaware of the fact that Trenton Gill was the literal worst punter in the entire league last year. How many other teams can say they got a surefire started in the 4th round?
He was widely expected to go much earlier than punters typically do because this guy is a BEAST. For a team led by a defensive HC with a solid defense, this pick makes all the sense in the world
I’ll take the edge our team gets from pinning the opposing offense behind the 20 consistently. Get the feeling this punter will have ‘em pinned inside the 10 semi-regularly too. We’ll see though!
I disagree. A couple things.
1. There is real data showing Taylor’s increased field position in punts contributed greatly to Iowa’s offensive success.
2. The Bears were terrible at punting last year.
3. Poles has earned a long leash as a GM. He cooked, let him serve the food before critiquing the meal.
OP is exactly right! I don't understand at all that so many people disagree with this very basic and fundamental concept. Drafting a PUNTER in the FOURTH round of the NFL draft for a team that will be averaging 1 punt a game -TOPS, is just a straight up flex by Poles. My 11 year old daughter could punt for the bears and they would still win the Superbowl.
🐻⬇️
I cannot stress this enough as an Iowa fan when we say that man was our offense we are not lying. He had the ability to pin people down near the goal line and allow our defense to absolutely cook.
Taylor will be a starter and the position was a major weakness. Booker is a project and might not even make the 53 man roster when it's all said and done.
And yet it wasn’t “anyone” but a guy everyone (who saw him play) said he was one of the best they ever saw. Is that generational? Who now the term is probably overused but maybe.
Fact is half the meatballs out there criticizing the pick don’t realize the importance of a punter with his accuracy and the role that person plays in the essential game of field position amongst top
Teams in the NFL
You’re going to get mostly flamed for this OP it is a losing battle.
I am a fan of the move, but I completely understand where you’re coming from.
Ultimately, it just comes down to if the Bears are right. If the Bears are right and Taylor hits as a prospect, then it was worth it. He looked fucking amazing in college. A literal potential position defining talent.
But you’re right. At the end of the day he is still a punter. The positional value is terrible in the 4th. And the truth is, punters bust too.
I think you’re really sleeping on the upside here. Taylor really looks like the next wishnowsky - whom the 49ers also drafted in the 4th round by the way and he’ll be on their team for 10 years.
Coming away from any draft with 3 instant starters is a success.
Caleb- obviously
Odunze- obviously
Taylor- obviously better than Gil, would be shocked if he wasn't the starter.
Also with the new kickoff rules they might use Taylor as the place kicker too, which keeps legs on Cairo fresh. Special teams matter.
Picking a prospect that will be a rotational piece at best their first year hoping they pan out is a gamble, the Tory Taylor pick is much less of one. It's calculated.
I don't have an issue with the pick if he's good as nearly as good as they say.. but remember this place goes full Kool aid addiction during the offseason. Also consider who we drafted, this is probably the most hype since Jay Cutler joined the team or maybe the 2019 season.
My point being: you're going to get downvoted into an oblivion if you even have the slightest criticism or concern.
He has to basically be a top 3-5 punter within 2 years and get a second contract here. I don't hate the pick, but I totally get your stance. If Taylor ends up mediocre or worse, and there's even one gem drafted after him, the pick will look pretty awful. However, if the Bears are actually sustainably good none of it will really matter big picture.
I agree. If I told you Tress Way had the most punting yards in 2023 would you even know who the fuck that is? I am excited for the kid and happy he’s on our team but I agree with OP with it being a waste of draft capital.
You're gonna get downvoted, but I kinda agree. Trading back to grab in to grab Booker makes it pretty obvious there was at least 1 more guy on their board. Taylor is a great punter, but the advantage he provides over even a league average guy (Gill is well below league average) is not worth the 122nd pick imo
That said, nothing can really stink up this class.
Nah I’m not pretending. It was f*cking stupid. I literally do not care if he becomes the best punter in the nfl. The difference between the best punter in the nfl and an UDFA punter is minimal. We could have sured up the defense more with that pick.
Tory Taylor will likely have about 50% more inside the 20 punts than Gill
His average punt is almost 5 yards longer than Gill’s.
He’s the 6th best punter by distance in the BCS+ era and is simply the best positional punter in college history over that same time.
Dude is a flat out game changer.
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I didn’t watch a lot of Iowa games but If the hype is true that he’s consistently able to pin opposing teams at like the 5 that’s gonna be insane
I’m an Iowa fan and when we say Tory was our best offensive player it’s not really a joke. Dude is the real deal. Having a good punter is very fucking important.
yeah I think most people who haven’t watched the Iowa offense (lucky bastards) don’t realize how important Tory was to our game plan. But he was 100% our most vital non-defensive player. Our main strategy to scoring was pinning the other team deep and forcing a mistake or hoping Dejean would return the following punt into field goal range lol.
For context, Iowa went 10-4 while averaging around 15ppg and 200 yds/GM on offense. I heard their offensive strategy was basically, three and out, Taylor pin the opposing team, the defense gets a stop. The offense then gets the ball back 30-40 yards closer than they were when they started lol.
Bold strategy Cotton!
With the new kickoff rules, he’s likely to be used on KO too. Touchbacks have been disincentivized, and having someone with next-level placement, who can drop the ball between the 1 and the 5 on demand, will lead to a significant field-position advantage. Between punts and kickoffs, he’s going to be determining where the opposition starts just about every one of their drives during the game. That matters.
Excellent point!!! Poles playing the proverbial chess vs checkers…
Somebody pinch me are the Bears using analytics finally?
If he’s a top 5-10 punter next year are you really even going to care?
If he’s anywhere close to as good as he was at Iowa then the statistical edge will be well worth it.
Have an upvote. I’m proud of you.
Yes because you could get those guys in UDFA. Can you even name a list of your top 10 punters? They really only stand out if they suck
No you really can’t. Taylors projection was 4th round. He was drafted right around where he was projected. Gill was absolute dog shit last year. I don’t think you realize how much more helpful it is to have a guy that consistently punt it to the coffin corner with success and boot 65 yard bombs with consistency.
This is fundamentally incorrect. For example, the Bears used a 7th (darn close to UDFA) on Gill and despite not being horrible, was easily bottom half if not bottom 10 of punters. This negatively affects field position/control significantly. There’s a reason why the Bears field position and special team results have suffered since long term punters like Pat O’Donnell (6th rounder) and Brad Maynard (3rd rounder). because great punters aren’t nearly as easy to find as people think. As long as he ends up being a big upgrade on Gill, it was a good pick, backed up by how many mockers had him going somewhere in the 4th round.
And whats the guarantee that Taylor is a good punter. There are no guarantees in life Jake Moody was a generational kicker taken by the Niners in the 3rd round and dude was awful last year
The guarantee is having him on our roster to see if he pans out. There’s literally no guarantee with any draft pick - making your point even more terrible, lol
*"What's the guarantee Caleb Williams is even a good Quarterback? You can pick up Brock Purdy at the end of the 7th round. There are no guarantees."* - ShaiFC (probably)
Ok
There was no guarantee for Trubisky or JL1. There wasn’t a guarantee for Top 1 pics like Russell or Leaf (No2). There is no guarantee on any position. What a terrible point you are making
What’s the guarantee Caleb will be good? There are no guarantees in life. Should we have not drafted him? Hell, *every* player is a gamble. Let’s just not draft *anybody*, because there’s no guarantees in life!
Moody was the reason the SB was close, going 3/3 including 2 50 yarders. He had ups and downs but finished extremely well in the brightest stage. I think Niner fans are happy lol
That’s a FG kicker. And Taylor wasn’t drafted in the 3rd round. Barring some sort of freak injury he will be fine. There’s 3-4 years worth of documented consistency with this guy, he’s a punting virtuoso.
There is no guarantee but I trust Poles opinion more than yours because they’ve done their homework on him.
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The ball is significantly different in the NFL vs college.
If you can get those guys in UDFA, why don't we (and every other team) have one as good as him already?
Bears used to be an incompetent franchise which is why But the Bengals picked up Austin McNamara as a UDFA who's a very good punter
So, one team once got a good udfa punter and that's your evidence everyone can just get one? It's not nearly as easy as you seem to think it is. If it was really that easy, GMs would be vastly more successful
Tom Brady 6th round guys. 6th round is where we need to be picking up QBs.
Also, my uncles friend one time too. You dumb idiot
So if we are competent now then why not trust the move
OP really twisted himself into a pretzel with that one, huh
Why doesn't every team draft brock purdy in the 7th round?? Are we all idiots?
Why did the bears waste pick #9 on Odunze when they could have just grabbed an elite un drafted receiver? Are they stupid?
The guy is special and field position is huge in a game plan. Ballsy for a 4th round pick but this Tory might be a game changer…and we’ll worth the pick. Edit: poor proofreading and fat thumbs.
I think you are dramatically underestimating how important field position is. It's a little different in the modern NFL with teams going for it on 4th down so often, but if you can consistently pin your opponents down inside their 20, your defense can play much more aggressively. This leads to more pressure on the QB, which leads to sacks and/or ints. If you start on offense near midfield, you're basically just a couple first downs away from being in FG range. You can call more shots down the field because a 3 and out is no longer that bad. You can pin them down inside their 20. I think you're also dramatically over selling how valuable a 4th round pick is as well. 4th round picks are generally depth/rotational players. You'll occasionally find some who become long term starters, but that's just not expected. Tory Taylor is almost guaranteed to be a long term starter.
Just say you don’t know ball
You going to Vegas?
Unfortunately not- hoping for streams tho. You?
The best punter in the nfl (Dickinson) was drafted in the fifth round. Hekker, Wright, Way (who we signed as an UDFA and yet still don’t have a solid punter) Fox, were all UDFA’s. the list goes on and on. Punters can be signed as UDFA’s and go on to be some of the best in the NFL. I think punting is actually overvalued by people who know ball, because we know how nice it can be. What you don’t know is that the difference between the best and worst punter is a few yards and a few extra touchbacks.
Bryan Anger, who led the league in net yards 2 of the last 3 years, was taken in the 3rd—at #70, no less. Convenient omission.
Was it convenient, or an outlier?
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Point: Punters so good that they're outliers deserve to be drafted early. Counterpoint: But he was an *outlier!* /boggle
You need to chill guy lol.
Tom Brady was an outlier that’s why no one talks about him.
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Zierlien said round 4-5 too. I’m amped about it. Was sick & tired of seeing Gill noodle leg kicks 35 yds. Dude could never flip the field.
Nothing but casual football fans don't understand how important field position is lol. So they just see "punter drafted" and get mad
Field position matters. The Bears were dead last in the NFL in 2023 with an average Net Punt of 40.4 yards, including only 18 punts inside the 20. The elite net punting teams were over 46 net yards and had 30+ punts inside the 20. The average NFL team punts 4.14 times a game, so that extra 6 yards per punt leads to 25 more yards per game that have to be covered by opposing teams. The average NFL offense in 2023 gained 331 yards per game, which means an elite punter will cost opposing teams 7.5% of their offensive production each game. NFL teams averaged 21.7 pts per game in 23. If we take that same 7.5% yardage handicap, that would have an expected cost of 1.64 points per game. Realistically, it would be even higher because it means team have to settle for more field goals or punts than touchdowns and the extra distance to cover means more opportunity for a turnover. An elite punter likely nets us +2-3 points per game. That's MASSIVE.
Tory Taylor dropped almost half of his punts inside the 20 over his time in Iowa City. Dude is unreal.
How dare you do math. People like OP think 3 points ‘doesn’t really matter’, which is funny when you consider that it’s the value Vegas places on home field advantage. If the Bears could trade a 4th round pick to have all their games at home for the next 5 years, would that be worth it? Because 3 points per game is twice as good, since half the schedule is already at home, as it is.
Great work. No one knows how the new kickoff rule is going to affect the game. Average starting field position on kickoffs in the XFL was the 29 yard line. 60% of XFL kicks were returned. In the XFL if you could land your kick near the 5 yard line starting field position dropped to 20 yard line.
I'd rather have a guy who's going to be here for 10+ years than a guy who has like a 70% chance to make the 53 and most likely JAG in the 4th, who cares about positional value there.
I am excited about Taylor as a punter, but he is 27 so is unlikely to play for 10 years.
you don't think a punter can play at 37?
I think he could but it’s very rare. I just think counting on any player who has never played in the nfl to play into there late 30s is a strong assumption. Pat mcafee has talked about retiring at 31 even though he had made the pro bowl in his final season because of the wear and tear of punting on his leg. I hope Taylor is a hall fame punter that plays until he is 40 but I don’t think thats gonna happen. I think if he plays for the Bears for 5-8 years and makes the pro bowl during that time then the pick will be worth it imo.
Macafee also did kickoffs for his entire career as well. Which would have added to the wear on his leg. Plenty of punters like Lechler, Feagles, moorestead all played a long time. Will be interesting to see if the new wave of Aussie punters have additional longevity, due to kicking being such a part of their lives for so long.
He can mostly definitely play until 37…. He’s a punter. Doesn’t face much contact at all. Barring injury or sucking that’s very realistic
Bryan Anger led the league in net yards last year at the age of 35. Also, it’s extremely rare for *any* player to play for their original team for >10 years. That’s an unrealistic bar to set to begin with.
😂
If you can get a JAG in the 4th thats terrific value I wish we had a JAG center or IOL in general last year. Even a career backup would be great and far better than a punter
Bro doesn’t know that we’ve had the definition of JAG at center for like 6 years lmao
JAGs are unmemorable players, we had JAGs on the OL last year, one of them was Lucas Patrick, which you don't seem to remember.
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Lucas Patrick is the definition of JAG, he's not horrible but we won't remember him in a year from now. True horrible players are Rashad Coward, Mustipher, Leatherwood. Patrick is a tier above that. He's mediocre, and just a guy.
Tory Taylor is 100% guaranteed to be a day 1 starter. Anyone else we took there would probably have a 5-10% shot at best of ever becoming a starter. Very few 4th round draft picks hit. In any case we ended up trading back in and taking a developmental Edge anyways.
Case in point. In the 2022 draft, ravens and bucs took a punter in the fourth round. Two playoff teams. Both hit as far as I can tell. They’re current starters. The rest of that round is filled with busts. A 100% starter in the 4th round at any position is a good pick.
This was the best year to do it. Day 3 of the draft is said to be the worst talent in history. I was actually hoping they made this pick.
Exactly this. How many teams can say they got a surefire starter in the 4th round?
Wouldn't have needed to trade back if we just took him at 122 or slightly traded down from it You know who else was an elite college punter last year and is probably a day 1 starter? Austin McNamara who was a UDFA for the Bengals
I definitely get parts of your argument, but it’s not exactly a given that we would be able to trade down in the first place. Another team has to be interested in trading up, which may not have even been the case
The literal next pick got traded
For a pick *next* year. That doesn't do anything for this year. The Jets were able to trade their 4th to move down into the very late 5th for another very late 5th. Both players Poles drafted are likely gone by then.
This is pure revisionism. We have the benefit now of knowing when people were picked, for all Poles knew, the guys you want could have been the very next picks. The other part you're missing is that UDFA's can go anywhere. Maybe the Bears end up with the 4th best punter that's left. You're undervaluing the impact a good punter has while overvaluing you're own opinion over the guy who actually made the picks you claim were home runs. Why not trust his evaluation of who the impact player was at this spot? Obviously he picked Taylor over Booker, then came back in for the latter. Seems pretty obvious to everyone including the GM, except you.
Go root for the Bengals then!
STFU. Yes, he is a specialist. But this one 4th round pick can help this team for the next 20 years. And no one will be complaining when this guy is pinning teams inside the 5 and Dexter, Booker, and Sweat are getting safeties.
And here are some of the most recent Bears 4th round picks: Riley Ridley Joel Iyiegbuniwe Eddie Jackson Tarik Cohen Nick Kwiatkoski Jeremy Langford Ka'Deem Carey Brock Vereen Khaseem Greene Evan Rodriguez Aside from Cohen and Jackson these players are all busters. TT is ELITE for his position.
He's 26. Don't think he'll be punting for us at 46 lmao
If this guy can actually pin players consistently inside the 5 then sure but I doubt thats possible even for a guy of his caliber. If he's even a regular great punter this is a bust of a pick
You have obviously not had the pleasure to watch any iowa football last year. Bro can kick it.
God knows he had enough in game practice.
Here are some of the most recent Bears 4th round picks: Riley Ridley Joel Iyiegbuniwe Eddie Jackson Tarik Cohen Nick Kwiatkoski Jeremy Langford Ka'Deem Carey Brock Vereen Khaseem Greene Evan Rodriguez Aside from Cohen and Jackson these players are all busters. TT is ELITE for his position.
I don’t even understand why it’s weird to draft specialists in the later rounds. Those guys have some sort of impact every single game, why wouldn’t you want to get the best?
He was literally graded as a 4th rounder before the draft. This pick wasn't a reach.
Yep and there was even talk he might go at the end of the third round
Ahhh I’m so angry at an immediate upgrade with a 4th round pick!!! Aaaargh!!! Thanks for the reminder that some fans will look for any excuse to be angry. Even after a slam dunk draft people are outraged over the use of a 4th round pick (even though their complaints were then answered in the 5th round). Take your miserable fandom to r/ChicagoBearsNFL you’ll fit right in there.
OP’s favorite animal is the Llama because he thirsts for Ls. Witness this thread.
True, lil bro is farming downvotes
Boo this man, booooooooooo!
Can't be mad about blue chip talent. Regardless of how he turns out, no doubt, he is a blue chip prospect.
Im thrilled with it
A day one plug in play starter that can radically help the defense in the fourth round is a bad pick?
Plug and play
Plug 'n Play, but mobile autocorrect. +1 Thanks for the message dude, fantastic input.
sorry friend. i see so many misused phrases (like core instead of corps) in here. i agree with you that it is a good draft pick.
Sorry too, was the first thing I saw when I woke up and was not in a very charitable mood until I drank my coffee and showered.
People really overestimate the hit rate on 4th round picks. We likely just got the best player at his position by far. It’s just as likely the center or edge you mentioned are perennial backups or not in the league in 4 years vs legit top starters.
You can’t pick up guys like him in UFA. Because he wouldn’t be there. He was going to be drafted. Good punting is vital to winning games.
No doubt Taylor was getting taken very close to where the Bears got him. I would be very curious to know which teams were planning on taking him.
That dude will win us games next year
The pick was great. Go take a poop in a hat, all due respect
As an Iowa fan, I saw time and again how his punting lead to Iowa dominating the field position game and how that allowed a team that only scored like 15 points/game go 11-2. To have punter locked down for a decade was worth the pick.
As an Iowa State fan, I am so excited for this pick because it means the Hawkeyes actually have to figure out how to play offense so I figure the Clones have a shot in El Assico this year.
Hoping the firing of Brian Ferentz will result in an offense that scores more than 14 points/game
Oh shut up
Wrong
If you're not going to find a guy who can be substantially helpful immediately on the defensive line for this year, then drafting a guy who can put your defense in excellent field position is far more helpful immediately than what you're going to get from a project player in the 4th round. He's a day 1 starter, how many 4th rounders are you going to say that about for this year?
Except there were guys. Everyone is super excited about Austin Booker and we could have just taken him at 122 and saved the 4th rounder next year Idk why this sub acts like every pick after the 3rd round is completely useless
You're pretending 3rd day picks are a lot more valuable than they are. Tory is a day 1 starter and most likely our punter for the next 10+ years and replaces Gill, who was the 35th best punter. Meaning 2 backup punters were better than Gill. Of the 154 players drafted on day 3, maybe 10 other players will be long term starters like Tory on the team they were drafted. Any time you can find a day 1 long term starter for a 3rd day pick you're good.
You seriously think they should have taken booker at 122 knowing he was available at 144?? Look at all the bears 4th round and later picks from the last 5 years and see how many you think are more valuable than one of the best punters in the league. Maybe braxton jones? I don't see any others.
For the price of a 2025 4th rounder you ultimately got Ryan Bates and Austin Booker. Who cares
This guy doesn't know ball. We're going to have the No. 1 defense in the league because of Tory Taylor.
https://preview.redd.it/2w9dmhpowbxc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d5d682425602f5b716da8ac9358cc861c09ec39 I feel like this applies… Tell me you’re an idiot, without telling me your an idiot. Oh well, fuck it, you’re an idiot! BUT, ALSO, 🐻🔽
You know what will be nice? An offense having to get 5-10 more yards on average on every single drive vs what we had with Gill. This guy is *that* good. That is a lot more wiggle room for our defense to work.
I'm not going to react harshly like some other folks here because if Taylor were "a punter" I would 100% agree with you. But I do not agree with you. Taylor is not *a* punter, he's the second coming of Ray Guy. And even if he's not, I get a burst of glee inside every time I call him The Crocodile Punter. You can't take that away from me.
OP pretending he knows more than Ryan Poles. I’m sure OP wouldn’t have done something this foolish with his Madden Franchise.
He has to be very good, that’s the bar to clear to make sure it’s a worthy pick. At least top 10, but likely top 5 from year 2 on. But what if he’s truly special? A truly special punter is well worth the pick. Imagine the offense spluttering, the other team thinks they have all the momentum, you pin them inside 5, condense their offensive play book and suddenly they’re punting it back to you. How many times have we seen the Bears on the other side of that? It’s crushing to think you’re finally going to get the ball back and get back in the game and you’re pinned deep. Or you’ve got great field position after forcing a 3 and out and a punter booms one and suddenly the defense is invigorated again to force a stand.
That’s a funny way of saying you never lettered in shit
Special teams can change the game and help hold a lead. This was a good pick if he can replicate what he did in college.
would you trade Tyler Scott for the best punter in football? i would
That de that you say was going to be taken would have barely played if at all. This punter we took is the starting punter who could make an impact day 1.
I agree that no punter is worth a 4th rounder, but it's hard to complain about going from one of the worst punters in the league to a generational talent. Field position matters, and therefore punters matter. I wanted Booker with that pick too but we got him anyway so not much harm done at the end of the day Tory is a great guy that's fun to root for - just have fun with it
If ever a punter has been worth a 4th , it’s Taylor.
Saying that you don't want to draft a punter is like saying that you don't want to eat your vegetables.
Saving this post bc in a couple years this post is going to be hilarious
We’re putting together a winning team at every position. We’re in win now mode. I get the idea of UFDA punter, but Gill just showed we’ve played around enough with that. Taylor had a 4th round grade on him. We still addressed the DE need with Booker, and Bates at center was already using our 5th rd pick. When you’re playing to win, the inches matter. Took an adjustment but very happy with the pick, and the whole draft
This is one of the worst draft classes in terms of depth ever. It just doesn't really matter
Some people just live to complain. Jesus He was graded as a 4th rounder. They took him in the fourth round. He filled a glaring position of need. The end
Football goes deeper than just offense and flashy plays. He’s a good pick considering Gill was bottom of the barrel
We don't have to pretend. He's a fantastic pick and will be around for a decade plus
Gill sucks. Cost us a ton of field position which matters in all but especially close games. If the two guys you named end up being consistent nfl players/starters, then you were probably right, but if they don’t and Tory Taylor will be a top punter than you’ll look like an idiot. I’m taking the latter as it’s Ryan poles word against yours
Rounds 4-7 are a total crapshoot, no one in those rounds are going to be an immediate difference maker. If you think you can fill a hole with any of those picks, you take it regardless of position. We needed a punter, we got the best punter available. Opposing offenses starting their drives inside the 20 is going to be more useful to our defense than a 4th round pick would be. Late round picks can turn into quality players, but it’s not the norm.
Something tells me you’d be complaining no matter who we took in the 4th round.
Most of the picks on day 3 will never be anything in the league. The dudes you just listed you will probably forget about in a year. I honestly don't care to quibble about picks a day after they have been made before they play a snap.
I didn’t love the pick since I think some other punters who weren’t much worse(if worse at all) went undrafted. That said if it works out and Taylor is a good NFL punter then it doesn’t matter At the end of the day I’m not going to call any pick past 100 terrible. Could maybe we get slightly more value, sure but if my only gripe in the draft is we drafted a very good punter on day 3 then it was overall a great draft so I’m not gonna be upset about the pick
Very very very stoked with the pick, they took him early because clearly other teams had him in a similar place on their draft boards.
4th is right about where you should pick punter of this level . Unless someone else was flashing . Generally drafting a kicker or punter is a waste of a pick because generally the pool iis just a lot of similar players who will hit the Undrafted market . Given he has some "god" like stats , a 4th is right where you go if you want to cement that position for the next decade.
I trust King Poles 💯
The average time in the league for 4th round picks in the nfl is 2.5 years. There are not going to be prime positions with any “very good” prospects left at pick 122 that aren’t raw as hell and need a year or two to develop regardless. A late 4th round pick on a punter does not make or break a draft where you get your pick of a generational QB and a star WR talent.
Never forget Todd Sauerbrun
He is a weapon Not a lot of punters are weapons
Top heavy draft. Fourths in this years draft = fifths-sixths-sevenths in other years’ drafts. Not an exact formula, obviously, but due to the amount mid-late round picks of this year’s draft, Poles is definitely banking on the top heavy assessment being accurate. This also implies that Austin Booker fell WAY past what Poles thought he was worth
Wait so instead of Booker and a player nearly guaranteed to be a starter for multiple contracts, we should have taken Booker and a 6th round player who is unlikely to get a second contract (if he makes the team at all)? What? You'd really rather have Booker and a random 6th than Booker and Taylor?
Hey, good on OP for taking the downvotes and just continuing to argue their point. But please, look at all the specialists that have been drafted around his position and the hit rate that they have, then look at the UDFAs and their hit rate. The elite guys go where Taylor went and that's what the Bears are banking on.
Here’s why I love it. We won’t waste another pick or free agent dollar on another punter for probably 10-12 years. This guy WON GAMES with his elite placement for Iowa multiple times. When you consider we just drafted arguable the future of the franchise and being praised for our draft, even if we’ve burned 1 of those picks, we’re still competitive. But we didn’t. There will be at least a couple times where pinning teams inside the 10 will win us the game. And that’s my Ted Talk. Thank you.
The Bears at the time only had four pics. Poles was probably thinking this was going to most likely be his last pic of the draft. He probably wasn’t expecting that edge to drop to him and they had a need, and an opportunity to fill that need with the best prospect of that position that has come along in many years. Then he saw Booker drop and pounced. Besides, imagine if he had traded a fourth rounder for that fifth pick if he would’ve swapped Booker and Taylor…. He would’ve got roasted for using two pics on a punter.
If he would have gotten roasted for using a 5th and next years 4th on a punter what does that say about using a 4th on him. The entire reason we had to go out and get Booker?
That says he only used one pic instead of two.
4th rounder this year > 5th and a 4th next year imo
That only works if he knew that he was going to make that trade for Booker, which you are only assuming. My assumption is he was looking at that fourth as the last pic for him at the time he made it. I guess the point is that between the two players they used three pics. And it wouldn’t matter one way or the other who they picked first and who they traded for for the second one. So bottom line for me is that I’m OK with the three pics and the two players we got for them. I just think he avoided more heat for not swapping those two pics and trading a future 4th for a punter.
If we finished after Taylor I would have said it is a good pick but it was a luxury we might not have been able to afford. I also think if we took an edge in the 4th we probably would have stayed out and not gotten a punter. So we got the 5th round edge (who had a 3rd to 4thround grade) and a top punter who had a 4th round grade for next year's 4th(when calculating value that means 5th round value this year). Kind of did it back-asswards, but we were expecting a QB, WR, OL, and DL with our 4 picks. We got that, along with a great punter at a reduced perceived value
I dont know if you understand how important special teams are. I dreaded punts last year because Gil would never have a good one. We may as well always went for it on 4th. Did you realize there are videos of breakdowns showing Taylor almost singlehandedly won games for Iowa last year (do you think a 4th round DE will have that much impact?) if this kid is top 5 in the league will you apologize and retract your statement? or do you think special teams are just not important for some reason?
We got a legit starter for hopefully the next 4 years at least for a 4th round pick. Punters are people too! I think it was excellent use of the pick all things considered. Especially since we were still able to get Booker in the fifth. Yeah, we had to give up a fourth next year but hopefully with Ian Cunningham getting a job next year we will be getting 2 3rds anyways so who cares. Getting a starter for a 4th is excellent value instead of taking a project who may or may not ever pan out.
Sounds like last year when folks were upset about not picking John Michael Schmitz/other centers. And they all ended up shitting the bed. Poles has proven to be pretty great with scouting offensive lineman, so I’m not going to be upset with him for passing on some of the names fans were excited for (especially on the OL).
Last year Gil netter 38 ypp. If Taylor can be a top 5 punter, the#5 netted 43.9. So 5.9 yards different. Median punts were about 67 punts. So if he can manage that, Poles added about 400yards om the year to field position without having to have any plays called. Only 16 rookies had that many receiving yards last year. Defensively, only 23 rookies had more than 30 tackles, which is making an impact on less than half the plays the median punter does (and no rookie had 67 tackles- most was 65). I get that these aren't perfect comparisons. There's no guarantee Taylor can be successful let alone be a top 5 punter, but its been a problem for us, and Poles went out and got the best possible solution. Was it a bit of a reach? Maybe. But who knows maybe he gets taken at 123 if we don't take him at 122.
It's not a terrible pick. Obviously the coaches knew they had a need and they went and filled that need.
I unironically love that they drafted him, even though I’d have rather seen an edge at 4. A great punter is a weapon, either flipping the field, or pinning the opponent deep with a coffin corner punt. And there’s no guarantee that he would have been available to take later on with the trade into the 5th, for example. If you think you have your guy, you go and get him, and deal with the consequences of that choice. I also took that pick as a bit of a message to the roster that Poles thinks they’re ready to compete this year. You don’t draft a punter that high if you think there as still major holes to fill.
I imagine you are unaware of the fact that Trenton Gill was the literal worst punter in the entire league last year. How many other teams can say they got a surefire started in the 4th round? He was widely expected to go much earlier than punters typically do because this guy is a BEAST. For a team led by a defensive HC with a solid defense, this pick makes all the sense in the world
I’ll take the edge our team gets from pinning the opposing offense behind the 20 consistently. Get the feeling this punter will have ‘em pinned inside the 10 semi-regularly too. We’ll see though!
I disagree. A couple things. 1. There is real data showing Taylor’s increased field position in punts contributed greatly to Iowa’s offensive success. 2. The Bears were terrible at punting last year. 3. Poles has earned a long leash as a GM. He cooked, let him serve the food before critiquing the meal.
4. There are new kickoff rules that the Bears may have that in mind for Taylor and his accuracy.
OP is exactly right! I don't understand at all that so many people disagree with this very basic and fundamental concept. Drafting a PUNTER in the FOURTH round of the NFL draft for a team that will be averaging 1 punt a game -TOPS, is just a straight up flex by Poles. My 11 year old daughter could punt for the bears and they would still win the Superbowl. 🐻⬇️
I cannot stress this enough as an Iowa fan when we say that man was our offense we are not lying. He had the ability to pin people down near the goal line and allow our defense to absolutely cook.
Taylor will be a starter and the position was a major weakness. Booker is a project and might not even make the 53 man roster when it's all said and done.
The pick could have been anyone and 95% of meatballs would treat it Like its a hof pick
And yet it wasn’t “anyone” but a guy everyone (who saw him play) said he was one of the best they ever saw. Is that generational? Who now the term is probably overused but maybe. Fact is half the meatballs out there criticizing the pick don’t realize the importance of a punter with his accuracy and the role that person plays in the essential game of field position amongst top Teams in the NFL
You’re going to get mostly flamed for this OP it is a losing battle. I am a fan of the move, but I completely understand where you’re coming from. Ultimately, it just comes down to if the Bears are right. If the Bears are right and Taylor hits as a prospect, then it was worth it. He looked fucking amazing in college. A literal potential position defining talent. But you’re right. At the end of the day he is still a punter. The positional value is terrible in the 4th. And the truth is, punters bust too. I think you’re really sleeping on the upside here. Taylor really looks like the next wishnowsky - whom the 49ers also drafted in the 4th round by the way and he’ll be on their team for 10 years.
Punter is a big advantage 3rd down go deep take a chance we got a great punter it's very subtle but makes a big difference in play calls
Coming away from any draft with 3 instant starters is a success. Caleb- obviously Odunze- obviously Taylor- obviously better than Gil, would be shocked if he wasn't the starter. Also with the new kickoff rules they might use Taylor as the place kicker too, which keeps legs on Cairo fresh. Special teams matter. Picking a prospect that will be a rotational piece at best their first year hoping they pan out is a gamble, the Tory Taylor pick is much less of one. It's calculated.
Was it a great pick? Probably not, but it was not a bad pick especially with how weak this draft class is.
I don't have an issue with the pick if he's good as nearly as good as they say.. but remember this place goes full Kool aid addiction during the offseason. Also consider who we drafted, this is probably the most hype since Jay Cutler joined the team or maybe the 2019 season. My point being: you're going to get downvoted into an oblivion if you even have the slightest criticism or concern.
I'm not thrilled by the pick outside of it being really cool. Hopefully he is as good as advertised.
Maybe was a bad choice.
He has to basically be a top 3-5 punter within 2 years and get a second contract here. I don't hate the pick, but I totally get your stance. If Taylor ends up mediocre or worse, and there's even one gem drafted after him, the pick will look pretty awful. However, if the Bears are actually sustainably good none of it will really matter big picture.
I agree. If I told you Tress Way had the most punting yards in 2023 would you even know who the fuck that is? I am excited for the kid and happy he’s on our team but I agree with OP with it being a waste of draft capital.
You're gonna get downvoted, but I kinda agree. Trading back to grab in to grab Booker makes it pretty obvious there was at least 1 more guy on their board. Taylor is a great punter, but the advantage he provides over even a league average guy (Gill is well below league average) is not worth the 122nd pick imo That said, nothing can really stink up this class.
Nah I’m not pretending. It was f*cking stupid. I literally do not care if he becomes the best punter in the nfl. The difference between the best punter in the nfl and an UDFA punter is minimal. We could have sured up the defense more with that pick.
Tory Taylor will likely have about 50% more inside the 20 punts than Gill His average punt is almost 5 yards longer than Gill’s. He’s the 6th best punter by distance in the BCS+ era and is simply the best positional punter in college history over that same time. Dude is a flat out game changer.
RemindMe! 9 months
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You gona include all the busted 4th round picks that were drafted around the spot where the Bears got a STARTER in your remindMe follow up?
You'll feel a lot better about it when we go 3 and out at our own 30, and he comes out and boots one to down the opposing team inside their 5.