Ryan Poles knew what he wanted to do after the 1st round of the 2024 draft. As the Chicago Bears’ next pick loomed in the 3rd, he had a roadmap for how things could play out. He’d take Yale tackle Kiran Amegadjie, and then the hope was he could grab Iowa punter Tory Taylor in the 4th. If things fell that way, he’d work to trade back into the draft to grab Kansas pass rusher Austin Booker. Sure enough, the board fell exactly as he’d hoped. However, that didn’t stop the outside criticism from falling on him.
Most of it centered on the Taylor selection. People tend to scoff whenever teams draft specialists, particularly in higher rounds. Taking a punter in the 4th when they could’ve grabbed another offensive lineman or that elusive pass rusher was malpractice. However, Poles is getting the last laugh. Taylor was a critical part of the Bears’ recent victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Not only did he average 55.4 yards per punt, but he also downed three of them inside the 10-yard line. It was a masterful performance. Yet the best part was probably Taylor’s comments afterward, almost chuckling at people who are scared of kicking at Soldier Field.
“Sometimes I think people get a little bit scared kicking into the wind but I don’t really mind it. Because if you hit the right ball, you can actually use the wind to improve your hang time.
“It was really one of those things, last week, it was pretty (crap) to be honest. It wasn’t good enough. I had the chance to help the team last week and I didn’t. Just wanted to go in the game and be myself and really fortunate enough to have (special teams coordinator Richard Hightower) and all the rest of the specialists look out for me as well.”
Tory Taylor sees the game differently.
Most punters who came to Chicago often grumbled about the wind and other elements. Taylor, on the other hand, immediately started thinking of ways he could use them to his advantage. Having played at Iowa for four years, he is no stranger to kicking in less-than-ideal conditions. It has only been a month and he seems to have already mastered the challenges Soldier Field has to offer. His 47.2 yards per punt is a big improvement over Trenton Gill last year, and he has nine kicks downed inside the opposing 20, tied for fifth-best in the league.
This is another reminder that punters exist for a reason. The common saying is everybody hates a punter (or kicker) until you need a good one. Chicago recognized they needed a good one if they were going to maximize the potential of their defense and give the offense shorter fields. Tory Taylor was a solution they couldn’t pass up. The fact other teams called the Bears after the pick to complain should tell you a lot. The kid is exceptional at what he does.
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