Darrell Taylor wasn't sure how to react when informed he had been traded from the Seahawks to the Bears. But after spending some time with his new teammates and coaches at Halas Hall, the veteran defensive end is thrilled to be in Chicago.
"I honestly didn't know what to think," Taylor said. "But coming in here and being around everybody and being in this environment, I'm just excited to be here. It's something new for me. I've never been traded before, never been with another team. I'm just excited to see new faces, be in a different environment and just get to work."
“I can already feel the energy just being around the building and getting to talk to the coaches and getting to talk to the players.” Darrell Taylor
A 2020 second-round pick from Tennessee, Taylor was productive the last three seasons in Seattle, playing in all 49 games with 13 starts and registering 91 tackles, 21.5 sacks, 22 tackles-for-loss and five forced fumbles. He produced a career high 9.5 sacks in 2022 and 5.5 last season.
The Bears agreed Friday to send a 2025 sixth-round choice to the Seahawks in exchange for Taylor, who spent his first full day at Halas Hall Saturday.
"I can already feel the energy just being around the building and getting to talk to the coaches and getting to talk to the players," he said. "I can already tell this team is very excited to be doing what we're doing right now. I'm just excited to be here."
Coach Matt Eberflus envisions Taylor being part of a defensive end rotation opposite star pass rusher Montez Sweat that could also include Austin Booker, Dominique Robinson and DeMarcus Walker.
"We'll play that hot hand," Eberflus said. "I feel really good about all the guys who are out there right now: Booker, Dom, D-Walk and all those guys who are hot and let them rush."
Taylor, who will wear No. 52, was asked to describe what type of player the Bears are getting.
"Man, they're getting a very explosive player," he said. "A player that's going to be relentless. A player that's very passionate about the game of football. You're going to see that every day in practice. You're going to see that obviously on the field. I'm just excited to be here and excited to be part of the organization."
A 6-4, 267-pounder, Taylor appears to be a better fit in the Bears' 4-3 defense than the 3-4 scheme the Seahawks are installing in Mike Macdonald's first season as coach.
"I know we're a 4-3 defense and I'm excited to be moving forward, like going straight all the time," Taylor said. "I'm excited about that part. I get to play forward, get to put my hands on guys and stuff like that. I'm excited to be in this defense, and just hearing from the guys, there's an opportunity to rush the passer here and I'm excited to do that, too."
Taylor expects to be a living and breathing manifestation of Eberflus' "HITS" principle.
"It definitely matches my personality because I'm an intense player," Taylor said. "Effort is everything, no matter who the player is or who the team is. Effort is everything and I think that's going to be me: effort sacks, effort plays, chasing down everything. And I'm excited to do that in blue and orange."
