Richard Hightower sounds off on Bears' long snapper competition
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Richard Hightower sounds off on Bears' long snapper competition
Alyssa Barbieri, Bears Wire
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2 min read
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TheChicago Bearswill have several position battles to monitor this summer, but one of the more under-the-radar competitions will come at long snapper following Scott Daly's departure in free agency.
TheBearshave two young players in first-year pro Luke Elkin and undrafted rookie Beau Gardner vying for the long snapper job. Elkin, an undrafted free agent in 2025, spent last season with Chicago's practice squad, and he has experience playing with punter Tory Taylor at Iowa. Meanwhile, Gardner is coming off six seasons in college and having just won the Patrick Mannelly Award as the nation's top long snapper.
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Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower previewed the position battle between Elkin and Gardner, which kicks into gear when the pads come on, where speed and accuracy and just two things he'll be evaluating.
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Week 2: vs. Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 20, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 3: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Monday, Sept. 28, 8:05 p.m. ET
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Week 4: vs. New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 5: at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Oct. 11, 4:25 p.m. ET
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Week 6: at Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 7: vs. New England Patriots, Thursday, Oct. 22, 8:15 p.m. ET
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Week 8: at Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Nov. 1, 8:05 p.m. ET
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Week 9: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 8, 8:15 p.m. ET
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Week 10: BYE
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Week 11: vs. New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 22, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 12: at Detroit Lions, Thursday, Nov. 26, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 13: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 6, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 15: at Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Dec. 19, 8:20 p.m. ET
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Week 16: vs. Green Bay Packers, Friday, Dec. 25, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 17: vs. Detroit Lions, Sunday, Jan. 3, 4:25 p.m. ET
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Week 18: at Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Jan. 10, Time TBA
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Week 1: at Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 1: at Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 1 p.m. ET
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)
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Week 2: vs. Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 20, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 3: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Monday, Sept. 28, 8:05 p.m. ET
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Week 4: vs. New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 5: at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Oct. 11, 4:25 p.m. ET
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Week 6: at Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 7: vs. New England Patriots, Thursday, Oct. 22, 8:15 p.m. ET
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Week 8: at Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Nov. 1, 8:05 p.m. ET
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Week 9: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 8, 8:15 p.m. ET
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Week 12: at Detroit Lions, Thursday, Nov. 26, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 13: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 6, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 14: at Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 13, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 15: at Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Dec. 19, 8:20 p.m. ET
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Week 16: vs. Green Bay Packers, Friday, Dec. 25, 1 p.m. ET
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Week 18: at Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Jan. 10, Time TBA
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"Those things for sure. Then you have to consider the way they work with the other two players (the kicker and holder) because that's a team," Hightower said, viaChicagoBears.com. "Those three together in operation, you have to make sure that's always flowing smoothly. Then you have to look at the punt piece of it too. That's two guys, the punter and the long snapper. And if they can protect or not. A lot of guys can snap a ball, but not [all of them] can protect. That's often the downfall of long snappers."
It's not to feel that Elkin has the upper hand going into this competition given his experience playing with Taylor for three years at Iowa (2021-23), and the pair already have that working relationship down. But Gardner, who was recognized as college football's best long snapper, certainly has a chance to make a strong impression and earn the job.
