Most Chicago Bears fans are up to date on the team's current position battles in training camp.
The left tackle competition remains at the top, which makes sense considering how important the position is to the Bears’ offense and Caleb Williams. Defensive end Austin Booker showed he is worthy of more playing time with his performance last season, but Dayo Odeyingbo will also want to prove his worth to his team after tearing his Achilles. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson enters a contract year, but Terell Smith and rookie Malik Muhammad are also battling for the spot opposite Jaylon Johnson. Could rookie center Logan Jones take the starting spot from Garrett Bradbury?
All those are the primary competition battles on this 2026 Bears team, but there is an underrated one that impacts the entire third phase. The battle at long snapper.
Bears have fiery training camp battle at long snapper no one is talking about
Luke Elkin spent time on the Bears’ and Raiders’ practice squads last season. He has familiarity with punter Tory Taylor from the three years they spent at Iowa.
Beau Gardner is also on the roster. The former Georgia Bulldog won the Patrick Mannelly Award last season, which is given to the top long snapper in the FBS. According to the Georgia Bulldogs’ website, Gardner “snapped on 65 of Georgia's 66 combined field goal attempts and PATs as well as each of the 48 punts for the Bulldogs” that season.
Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower will be assessing several aspects in the competition, including how both players fit with the rest of the team. Hightower described a long snapper as “the glue in the room.”
"Yeah, what I'm looking for is a guy that can snap the ball with accuracy, give us a good, clean, deliverable ball,” Hightower said. “Then somebody who can protect and know their assignments and can understand pre-snap communication, post-snap communication, can work well with the guards on both field goal and punt, and can be that glue for the other two specialists.”
Although long snapper isn't a premium position like left tackle, it still plays a valuable role on the team, especially for kicker Cairo Santos. He needs someone that he can rely on to snap the ball in high-pressure moments.
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The long snapper position won't get many headlines, but it's definitely a battle to monitor throughout the summer. Before Santos can have an opportunity to kick a game-winning field goal, he'll need a reliable snap from whoever wins the competition.
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