Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images The Gill-otine era ends in Chicago... We wish him luck in all his future endeavors. On Wednesday, the Chicago Bears waived punter Trenton Gill. This move was expected after they drafted Iowa punter Tory Taylor in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. During his two years in Chicago, Gill averaged 46.1 yards per punt, the highest mark in franchise history, while his 38.5 net average ranked third all-time. Those numbers may look good through a historical lens, but punting expectations have changed drastically over the last several years. During the 2023 season, Gill ranked 25th in the NFL in average and 33rd (among qualified punters) in net average. In fact, only one player who punted last year had a worse net average than Gill’s 38.0, and that was Minnesota kicker Greg Joseph who had a -3 yard net average on his lone punt of the ‘23 season. Taylor brings a huge leg to the Bears, and he was one of the most accurate punters in college football during his three years with the Hawkeyes. The Bears also have lefty punter Corliss Waitman on the offseason roster, but his days are numbered, as this is Taylor’s job.

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