Chicago Bears sign punter Tory Taylor to rookie contract

The Bears have signed fourth-round draft choice Tory Taylor to a four-year deal on Saturday, the team announced. The former Iowa punter in the first member of Chicago’s 2024 NFL Draft class to sign his rookie deal.

Taylor won the Ray Guy Award, given to college football’s best punter, this past season for the Hawkeyes after averaging 48.2 yards on 93 punts, including 32 punts fielded inside the 20 to go with seven touchbacks.

“Really excited about Tory,” Bears GM Ryan Poles said after picking Taylor. “One of the best punters I’ve ever seen, just in terms of his placement as well as his leg strength to be able to flip the field.”

The Bears selected Taylor with the No. 122 overall pick in the fourth round of the draft as part of an impressive weekend, even with only five selections. Of course, the headliner of the class was quarterback Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall, but Chicago also landed star receiver Rome Odunze with the No. 9 pick.

As a fourth round pick, Taylor is set to sign a four-year deal valued at $4,780,061 with the Bears, according to Spotrac. At the time, the selection of Taylor continued to draw mixed reviews, although ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. argued he was a “key pick” when looking at the Bears’ draft class.

While making an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Poles explained the team’s decision to draft Taylor where they did.

“I didn’t expect him to get much further,” Ryan Poles said. “Definitely didn’t think I’d be able to pick him up when we got to the fifth round, and really the thought process there is to make anyone we’re playing really uncomfortable.”

His stats amount to a punter who is able to quickly flip the field and force opponents to go the entire length of the field to score. It makes Tory Taylor a weapon who Ryan Poles is excited to have on the team moving forward.

“I didn’t play much in the NFL, but I know running onto the field and having the ball spotted inside the 10-yard line is a very uncomfortable feeling. It’s disheartening at times, and I love taking advantage of field position. Really, that should help us with points as well,” Poles said. “So, I think it’s going to add to our team, and again, make it uncomfortable and difficult for any team we’re going against.”

On3’s Dan Morrison contributed to this report.