How Tory Taylor Has Suddenly Become The Most Feared Punter In The NFL

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles knew he didn’t have many swings in the 2024 NFL draft due to previous trades. That meant he had to make every pick count. His first was by far the most important, and quarterback Caleb Williams has absolutely been a terrific selection. Wide receiver Rome Odunze came next. While he hasn’t been the star many hoped for, he has been a steady, productive player. Kiran Amegadjie came in the 3rd round. Sadly, the young tackle just never developed as hoped. Poles’ trade back into the draft for a 5th round pick produced Austin Booker. He’s been rock solid as a pass rusher. Most people tend to gloss over the last name on the list: Tory Taylor.

Drafting punters has always been considered an unwise endeavor. The position doesn’t have the same importance as those on offense and defense. Still, Poles felt Taylor was a rare talent with the potential to impact games. For the past two seasons, that hasn’t really been the case. He was middle-of-the-road in every stat category, failing to stand out enough to justify the pick.

All of that has changed. Not only is Taylor in the top 10 for yards per punt for the first time, but he has suddenly developed a weapon that opponents have no idea how to deal with. It’s tilting games in the Bears’ favor.

The Tory Taylor “banana ball” has become dangerous.

For those who haven’t heard the term banana ball before, it first appeared after the Bears’ week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers. It is essentially where the punter kicks the ball in such a way that it starts one direction before curving back the other. While difficult to pull off, it can be devastating because it is difficult for returners to track. Taylor deployed it again on Sunday in Atlanta, once again producing a muffed punt. This time, special teams ace Josh Blackwell recovered it on the Falcons’ 10-yard line, and just three plays later, it was Swift plunging into the end zone, giving the Bears a commanding 21-7 heading into halftime.

While punters have tried to put unique spins and angles on their kicks in the past, none of them has done it with such precision as Tory Taylor has. Banana balls are incredibly difficult. You must strike the ball at just the right angle to produce the spin needed. It’s easier in soccer because the ball is a standard sphere. Football is oval-shaped, with less real estate to work with. Being off by even a couple of centimeters ruins the attempt. Managing to do this twice in six games is an impressive feat, all while still giving the Bears quality field position with his normal kicks.

Poles might be owed an apology.

He took a lot of heat for selecting Taylor two years ago. Grabbing a punter over possible help at running back or defensive back at the time felt reckless. Conventional wisdom says you can always find such players on the undrafted market. The Bears GM bucked that trend, aiming to infuse his roster with players he considered unique talents. It took a couple of seasons, but Taylor seems to have found his groove. While he might not be your classic booming punter, he is easily one of the most difficult to face because you have no idea what he may throw at you from kick to kick.

That is how you become feared. Don’t be shocked if future opponents start game planning to face Taylor, instructing their returners on how to handle that banana ball. You know you’ve made it when things like that happen. You can debate whether Taylor is the best punter in the NFL. It depends on the criteria. However, he is quickly becoming one of the most feared. Chicago will be perfectly fine with that.