Windy City Gridiron
With camp opening this week, we’re breaking down every position group on the Chicago Bears.
I don’t anticipate any changes to the Chicago Bears specialists, but it’s such a precise job, and a case of the yips at the wrong time could open the door for someone.
Tory Taylor didn’t have as many eye-popping punts as he did during his time at Iowa, but he did provide a boost to Chicago’s special teams unit, and he took home an NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award after his week four performance. Statistically speaking, Taylor’s 2024 was one of the best punting seasons in team history.
Speaking of the best in franchise history, Cairo Santos still holds the top spot with 89.3% of his field goals made. He’s also two 50-yard-plus field goals away from tying Robbie Gould’s record of 23 made. And let’s not forget his last field goal was a 51-yarder as time expired to beat the Packers in Lambeau.
Long snapper Scott Daly returns after long snapping in all 17 games last year, and as the veteran, he should have the inside track to the job.
If Daly falters, then rookie UDFA Luke Elkin, who was the Iowa Hawkeyes’ long snapper all four years he was in Iowa City, will have a chance to earn the spot.
Rookie UDFA Jonathan Kim has the best field goal percentage in Michigan State Spartans history (82.1%) with a career-long of 58 yards. Even if Kim has an outstanding camp, I find it unlikely he beats out Santos — unless the yips rear their head.
