Through three games this season, it’s clear that the Chicago Bears’ offensive line is a major issue. These fears were whispered in the offseason and into training camp among Bears fans who thought that general manager Ryan Poles didn’t do enough to address the offensive line in the offseason. Now that it’s becoming clear Poles didn’t do enough, one offseason move in particular – a draft pick – sticks out like a sore thumb.
Drafting Tory Taylor with 4th-round pick now looks questionable
The Bears drafted punter Tory Taylor in the fourth round (No. 122 overall) of the NFL Draft this past April. This was the highest that a punter has been drafted since 2019 when the San Francisco 49ers selected Mitch Wishnowsky at No. 110 overall. Punters are drafted quite often, but most are selected in rounds five through seven.
The fact that the Bears used a fourth round pick on a punter looks more and more questionable with each passing week of ineptitude from their offensive line. This is not a knock on Tory Taylor. Taylor may turn out to be a superb punter for many years in this league. The issue isn’t that the Bears drafted Taylor. The issue is what drafting Taylor insinuated to Bears fans.
With a rookie quarterback who was selected first overall, a plethora of shiny new weapons on offense, and a defense that could be a top-five unit in the NFL, drafting a punter in the fourth round told Bears fans that this team is ready to contend now. I’m not saying it’s a cocky pick, but it shows a high level of confidence in the depth of the roster. When the offensive line or any other position has obvious holes, you don’t draft a punter – in any round.
This is likely why so many fans in Chicago had optimisim regarding this Bears offensive line heading into the season despite the unit receiving minimal attention after showing obvious warning signs last season. After all, Ryan Poles was an offensive lineman, surely he knows what he needs up front to compete. If bringing in two average interior linemen to compete for the center job fixes last year’s shortcomings, then in Poles we trust. Relying on oft-injured and underachieving right guard Nate Davis to suddenly become reliable was a gamble, but look at those weapons on offense!
There was so much excitement going into the 2024 season about Caleb Williams and the Bears’ offensive acquisitions. Bears fans looked at drafting Tory Taylor in the fourth round as a statement, and the statement was that the Bears are ready to compete NOW. Nothing else needed fixing. There was no glaring weakness on this roster. Ryan Poles was fine-tuning the smaller details by using such a high pick on a position that flawed teams don’t prioritize.
Bears offensive line has failed in both pass and run blocking
After three weeks, Caleb Williams has been sacked 13 times (T-3rd most in NFL) and pressured 49 times (3rd most in NFL). The Bears could easily be 0-3 if it weren’t for their defense’s heroics in week one. Furthermore, their running game has been nonexistent. They rank second-to-last in rush yards per game (72.7) and rush yards per play (3.0). This directly reflects the offensive line’s failure in pass protection and run blocking. There are numerous clips of game film showing Bears’ linemen whiffing on blocks, confused on who to block, or getting completely blown into the backfield.
So why take a punter in the fourth round if this Bears offensive line is so clearly flawed at more than one position? Why not bolster the line with that pick? The same question could be asked about signing free agent running back D’Andre Swift, who has shown poor vision on plays where he has had any kind of opening to run through. $24 million is a lot to invest in a running back who is consistently met by defenders in the backfield due to a pourous offensive line. The Bears seem to have put the cart before the horse with the structuring of this offense.
There was money and draft capital that could have gone towards this offensive line. Poles chose to gamble on doing the bare minimum to address it instead, which is putting the development and protection of the Bears’ rookie franchise quarterback at risk. I hope that Poles is satisfied with Tory Taylor, his fourth-round punter, who will be seeing plenty of action if things don’t improve up front.
