The Chicago Bears traded a 2025 sixth-round draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks on Friday, in exchange for pass rusher, Darrell Taylor. The Seahawks drafted Taylor 48th overall in 2020 out of the University of Tennessee. He led the Vols with 8.5 sacks in his senior season and started all 13 games. How did the Chicago Bears get such a good price on a player from the SEC with that kind of draft pedigree?
Taylor’s Toughness Perfect for Chicago Bears
Darrell Taylor sat out his entire rookie season in 2020 to rehab from leg surgery he underwent after his final season in college. It was later revealed that Taylor played the entire 2019 campaign for the Vols with a stress fracture in his shin. The Seahawks knew about the injury and the surgery before the draft, and they STILL traded up in the second round to draft Taylor. That speaks volumes about what NFL scouts knew of his talent and toughness, indicating that if it wasn’t for the injury Darrell Taylor could have gone in the first round.
It took longer than anticipated for Taylor to recover from the surgery, but when it finally came for him to get his first NFL snaps, he was ready. In 2021 Darrell Taylor played in 16 games for Seattle on 46% of all defensive snaps. Playing a key role in the Seahawks pass rush rotation and starting in five games, he accumulated 6.5 sacks and 37 total tackles. He built on those numbers in 2022 amassing 9.5 sacks on a 44% snap share playing in 16 games. Last season his numbers went down to 5.5 sacks in 44% of the snaps in 17 games.
Athletes Competing on Chicago Bears DL
NFL roster cuts are due by Tuesday, August 28th at 4:00 pm EST. The Chicago Bears have many hard decisions ahead regarding one of the most fascinating position groups on the team. It seems Darrell Taylor will have a home on the 53-man roster, given the draft capital exchanged for his services, but can Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles rightfully expect more of Taylor than other pass rushers on the bubble? Rookie out of KU, Austin Booker has a great preseason resume boasting 2.5 sacks and nine total tackles, looking very long and athletic. Journeyman pass-rusher Daniel Hardy out of Montana State has even better preseason numbers with 3.5 sacks and 14 total tackles.
Final Thoughts
Darrell Taylor is an ideal fit in the Chicago Bears’ defensive scheme, coming from a 4-3 defense under Clint Hurtt in Seattle, Taylor should be able to plug right in as a rotational rusher. Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams runs a similar 4-3 front, indicating that Taylor shouldn’t miss a beat despite being with a different team for all of training camp and the preseason. Taylor should have fresh legs to start the season, only appearing briefly in one preseason game for Seattle on August 17th, gaining one tackle. An interesting finish is ahead for the 2024 Chicago Bears roster decisions, especially on the defensive line.
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