Chicago Bears: Post-2021 NFL Draft 53-man roster projection
By Ryan Heckman
Projecting the 2021 Chicago Bears special teams
Special Teams: Cairo Santos, Pat O’Donnell, Patrick Scales
In the least surprising area of the roster, the Bears’ special teams unit returns. Chicago made the wise decision to get kicker Cairo Santos locked up for the future on a 3-year deal worth $11 million. Last season, Santos was one of the brightest spots on the entire team as he finally solidified the position for the Bears.
Santos hit 30 of 32 field goals last season and missed only one extra point, bringing him to a grand total of 66 kicks made out of a possible 69.
The punter, Pat O’Donnell, is still here as well. While he hasn’t been as good as many thought he would be once coming out of Miami, O’Donnell has been serviceable. Eventually, the Bears will want to find a different long-term solution there, but for now, O’Donnell is fine.
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Patrick Scales also comes back as the long snapper, which is such an underrated and rarely talked about position. It’s a spot that can cost teams games with one false move, and Scales has performed very well during his time with the Bears.