Chicago Bears training camp is just around the corner, which means it’s time to start looking ahead at the roster the team is bringing to Lake Forest.
We’re unveiling our Bears 2025 training camp position previews, where we’re breaking down every player by position and examining the biggest question facing the group.
We’re wrapping things up with special teams, which returns special teams coordinator Richard Hightower, as well as its starting unit in kicker Cairo Santos, punter Tory Taylor and long snapper Scott Daly for a second season. But there are lingering questions about whether Santos is the guy, especially after some kicking struggles last season.
Let’s take a look at the Bears’ specialists heading into training camp:
Cairo Santos, K
Cairo Santos has brought stability to the Bears kicking position which had been lacking since Robbie Gould. But Santos had his worst season since joining the Bears. He wasn’t terrible, but there were some notable ups and downs. He connected on just 84% of his field goals in 2024, which was his lowest since signing with Chicago. His biggest struggle came in the 40-49 range, where he connected on just 5-of-8. By contrast, Santos made every field goal but one beyond 50 yards, including the game-winner against the Packers in the season finale. Santos’ longest field goal of the season was a 54-yarder against the Texans in Week 2.
Tory Taylor, P
The Bears stunned everyone when they used a fourth-round pick on punter Tory Taylor last year, but he proved to be one of the more reliable players on the roster. In his first season with Chicago, Taylor showcased his booming leg and how he can flip the field. That’s not to say his season was perfect, but he was a clear upgrade over former punter Trenton Gill. Taylor averaged 47.7 yards per punt, downed 34 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and his longest punt was 68 yards.
Scott Daly, LS
Patrick Scales had long been a mainstay at long snapper, but a back injury thrust Scott Daly into the starting lineup for the entire 2024 season. He did miss most of the Jaguars game in London, where he was replaced by tight end Cole Kmet, who won NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his emergency services. But Daly showed the Bears enough to earn a one-year contract extension and enters the 2025 season as the presumptive long snapper.
Jonathan Kim, K
The Bears signed Jonathan Kim as an undrafted free agent this offseason adding some competition for Cairo Santos at kicker. Last season at Michigan State, Kim connected on 90.5% of field goals, 91.7% of extra points and won Big Ten Special Teams player of the Week. Could Kim impress enough to unseat Santos for the starting job? His best bet is to show consistency and his booming leg, where he once booted a career-long 58-yard field goal during his collegiate career.
Luke Elkin, LS
The Bears signed Luke Elkin as an undrafted free agent this offseason, and he’s certainly one to watch for the starting long snapper job. While Scott Daly didn’t make any mistakes in his first season as long snapper — and only missed most of one game — it’s certainly interesting that Elkin has experience snapping the ball to punter Tory Taylor during the pair’s time at Iowa together. Will that factor into Chicago’s decision at long snapper? We’ll have to wait and see.
Big question: Is Santos the answer at kicker?
There’s no denying that Cairo Santos has brought stability to the kicker position after years of struggles. But it’s also important to evolve with the league, and the name of the game now is big legs and big kicks in big moments. Last season, Santos had some kicking issues that led to losses, including a brutal loss to the Green Bay Packers, most notably due to his leg strength. With undrafted rookie Jonathan Kim on the roster, the question is whether he can impress enough to make this Bears coaching staff consider a potential change. If Chicago were to release Santos, it would only cost $1.06 million in dead money. But Kim would have to make quite the sales pitch in order to usurp the long-time veteran.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Chicago Bears training camp preview: Special teams
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
