Taylor excited to get his shot after trade to Bears |
CHICAGO — To boost their defensive line, the Chicago Bears traded a sixth-rounder in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Seattle Seahawks to acquire defensive end Darrell Taylor.
Prior to this trade, he had only played for the Seahawks. “I honestly didn’t know what to think. But, just coming here and being around everybody and being in this environment, I’m just excited to be here,” Taylor said. “It’s something new for me. I’ve never been traded before, never been with another team. So, I’m just excited to see new faces, be in a different environment, and just get to work.” One thing that immediately stands out about Taylor is his sack production. Every season he has been in the league, Taylor has recorded at least 5.5 sacks. His strongest season was in 2022, when he recorded four forced fumbles, third in the league that year. He also had a career-high 9.5 sacks, 2.5 of which came in a 23-6 victory for Seattle over the New York Jets. He attributes his relentless passion for the game to his success on the field, which will come through during practice and in games. “They’re getting a very explosive player, a player that’s going to be relentless, a player that’s just very passionate about the game of football and you’re going to see that everyday in practice,” Taylor said. “You’re going to see that, obviously, on the field. So, I’m just excited to be here and excited to be a part of the organization.” Seattle used to have one of the premiere defenses in the league, nicknamed the Legion of Boom. The Legion of Boom has been gone for quite some time, so Taylor did not get the opportunity to play with a player as aggressive and talented as edge rusher Montez Sweat, who became the first player in NFL history to record at least six sacks with two different teams in the same season last year after he was traded mid-season to the Bears from the Washington Commanders. Being able to play alongside an elite talent like Sweat will certainly serve to boost Taylor’s game. “I’m definitely excited to get the opportunity (to play) alongside (that) guy. He’s done a lot of good things in this league and he’s made his mark and continues to make his mark,” Taylor said. “So, I’m excited to get to rush opposite of him, race to the quarterback. So, that’s what it’s all about, and I’m just excited to be able to do that here.” Taylor will be joining a defense that has a lot of talent and a lot of personality. Particularly the secondary with Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Jaquan Brisker, Tyrique Stevenson, and others who are incredibly vocal and energetic. That energy is already palpable for Taylor who can feel the excitement and energy surrounding the Bears after just barely being in Halas Hall and talking with some of his new teammates. “I can already feel the energy just being around in the building and getting to talk to the coaches and getting to talk to the players and everything. I can already tell this team is very excited to be doing what we’re doing right now,” Taylor said. “There’s a lot of opportunity and I think the coaches and the staff here is just looking for guys that’s looking for opportunities … I’m an opportunist. So, I’m just excited to be here and get my opportunity and get my shot.”
