"Taylor saw the field less in 2025, which, in theory, is a good thing. Ben Johnson's offense cut his workload by 22 punts compared to his rookie year. But while the volume dipped, the efficiency didn't take a meaningful step forward. He averaged 47.8 yards per punt, nearly identical to his rookie mark, but his touchbacks jumped from four to seven, spiking his touchback rate to 11.7 percent. Only 35 percent of his punts landed inside the 20, down from 41.5 percent the year prior."
"There were flashes. Taylor connected on a career-long 69-yard punt, landed a 62-yard punt that pinned the Raiders at the 1-yard line back in Week 4, and booted 21 punts inside the 20. But consistency remained elusive. The Bears ranked 24th in net punting, and as a unit, special teams finished in the middle of the pack at 15th overall. For a player drafted where he was, "average" isn't the goal."
Ryan Poles selected Tory Taylor in the fourth round of the 2024 draft to serve as a field-flipping punting weapon that would turn hidden yardage into a weekly advantage. In 2025 Taylor punted 22 fewer times as Ben Johnson's offense reduced his workload, but his efficiency remained largely unchanged at a 47.8-yard average. Touchbacks rose from four to seven (an 11.7 percent rate) and only 35 percent of punts landed inside the 20, down from 41.5 percent. The Bears ranked 24th in net punting and special teams finished 15th. Taylor is under a four-year rookie deal with a $1.26 million cap hit and faces elevated performance expectations for a fourth-round specialist.
Read at Bleacher Nation
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