Bears Trade For Darrell Taylor To Bolster Pass Rush
The Chicago Bears have acquired Seahawks linebacker Darrell Taylor in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round draft pick, releasing defensive end Khalid Kareem to make room for him. Taylor, a second-round pick in 2020, missed his rookie season due to a leg fracture but has since made an impact as an edge rusher. Over the past three seasons, he has recorded 21.5 sacks in 49 games, with 13 starts. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Taylor is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2024 season. Last year, he played all 17 games with five starts, totaling 5.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, and eight quarterback hits while participating in 44 percent of the defensive snaps. The Bears, who struggled with pass rushing last season finishing with the lowest sack percentage (4.64%) and the second-fewest sacks (30) are looking to boost their ability to pressure quarterbacks. Taylor and Montez Sweat are expected to play a significant role in addressing this need.
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Darrell Taylor stands out as a player possibly in line for a contract extension soon because his $3.1 million salary for the 2024 season is not guaranteed, and it's unclear how much the new coaching staff will value him. Taylor has flashed his ability with 21.5 sacks in his three seasons in the league, albeit without showing much consistency in 13 starts while providing shaky run defense. The 27-year-old former second-round pick (48th overall) in 2020 out of Tennessee has 91 tackles (67 solo), 22 tackles for loss, 34 QB hits, three pass breakups, five forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 49 games for Seattle in his three seasons. He had a career-low 5.5 sacks in 2023, though, so he'll probably need to bounce back under the new coaching staff in 2024 for the Seahawks to consider extending his contract.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said that pass-rusher Darrell Taylor (shoulder) appears to have avoided a serious injury after he was taken off the field on a stretcher in the Sunday night loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. "A really, really positive report," Carroll said. "His MRI stuff was clear. His CT scan stuff was clear. He does not have a neck injury. He got jammed pretty good." With the positive news, Taylor isn't being ruled out for Monday night against the New Orleans Saints. The second-year defensive end missed his rookie season due to a leg injury, but he leads the team with four sacks so far this season, so it would be great news if he doesn't have to miss any time. The Seahawks defense has lacked a consistent pass rush outside of Taylor this year, so they aren't a recommended fantasy streamer in Week 7 against the Saints, who are coming off their bye.
Seattle Seahawks defensive end Darrell Taylor was immobilized and taken off the field on a stretcher on Sunday night in the overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but head coach Pete Carroll said that preliminary CT scans were clear and that more tests were scheduled. The good news is that Taylor was moving his extremities. Taylor, who was a second-round pick in 2020, missed all of last season with a leg injury that dated back to his final season in college. So far in 2021, he had been the team's best pass-rusher, leading the team with four sacks in the first five games. It remains to be seen how long Taylor will be out, but his loss is obviously a blow to a Seattle defense that hasn't generated much of a pass rush this year.
The Seattle Seahawks traded up with the New York Jets to get the 48th pick in exchange for the 59th and 101st picks, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. With that selection, Seattle took defensive end Darrell Taylor out of Tennessee in an attempt to bolster their pass rush. Taylor proved to be a capable pass-rusher in Tennessee, accumulating 46 tackles and 8.5 sacks in 13 games during the 2019 season. Though his explosiveness and agility have come in spurts, Taylor could eventually ease his way into meaningful playing time alongside fellow pass-rusher Bruce Irvin. Seattle had the second-fewest sacks in the NFL in 2019 and could lose Jadeveon Clowney in free agency, so they've focused their attention on the defensive line so far in this draft.
