Bear Digest

Former Bears Punter Catches on with Denver Broncos

Trenton Gill was cut to make way for new Bears punter Tory Taylor, but has caught on with the Denver Broncos.
Gene Chamberlain|
Former Bears punter Trenton Gill during warmups. Gill had two of the best single-season averages in team history but is now with Denver.
Former Bears punter Trenton Gill during warmups. Gill had two of the best single-season averages in team history but is now with Denver. | Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Former Bears punter Trenton Gill wound up in a place where most kickers would like to be, if they can't play in a dome.

Gill signed to play for the Denver Broncos, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The Bears cut Gill after the draft when they selected Iowa punter Tory Taylor in the fourth round.

Gill, a seventh-round pick in 2022, had the third- and fourth-best single season averages in Bears history. He averaged 46.2 yards as a rookie and 46.1 last year.

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Pat O'Donnell had the longest averae, 47.0 in 2017, as well as second-longest season at 46.2 in 2021.

Gill had a 38.0 net average last year, partly because of poor coverage and also because he had trouble with hang time and direction. He had eight touchbacks and 18 inside the 20 last year.

With Iowa, the Aussie-born Taylor had 295 career punts and 127 landed inside the 20-yard line. He also had 50 punts of 11 yards or longer and 13 that were downed inside the 10-yard line.

Taylor averaged a career-best 48.2 yards per punt last year for the Hawkeyes. He signed his rookie contract with the Bears last week.

With Denver, Gill will be trying to take the job from Broncos punter Riley Dixon, who has averaged 45.8 yards for his career and has been in the league eight seasons, including three with Denver.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.