Bears 2024 training camp preview: Special Teams

The Chicago Bears have spent considerable assets on their special teams unit since GM Ryan Poles took over in 2022. Kicker Cairo Santos received a four-year, $15.6 million extension last December, then they spent a fourth-round draft pick in 2024 on a punter.

Will these investments pay off in 2024? Let’s take a look at Chicago’s specialists on the eve of training camp practices.

Cairo Santos

The Bears once again have a clutch kicker. While Santos’ range is somewhat limited when compared to other top kickers in the NFL (his career-long is just 55 yards), he’s nearly automatic within that distance, connecting on 91% of his attempts since joining the Bears in 2020. His streak of 40 consecutive field goals between 2020 and 2021 was the longest in franchise history and third longest in NFL history.

Tory Taylor

Caleb Williams isn’t the only generational prospect that the Bears drafted this year. The Australian kicker set college football punting records while at Iowa for most yards in a season (4,479) and highest career average of 46.3 yards per punt. Naturally, the Bears hope that this gifted punter gets almost zero reps in 2024, but when the Bears inevitably face a stalled drive, it’s nice to know they have a guy who can flip the field for them and give their defense some breathing room.

Velus Jones Jr.

This feels like the last chance for the former third-round pick to prove he deserves a spot on Chicago’s 53-man roster. He’s had almost no impact as a receiver and has muffed more than his share of kickoffs, but there’s no denying the return ability that he’s flashed. With the new kickoff rules debuting in 2024, Jones could have a career year and prove that Ryan Poles was right to trust him.

Dante Pettis

The last time Pettis returned punts for Chicago (2022), he was mostly ineffectual, averaging less than 10 yards per return with a longest return of 17 yards. He’s currently set to return punts again in 2024, but that’s subject to change. The Bears signed DeAndre Carter, who’s been returning punts for 6 years, and have even tried Rome Odunze at punt returning in rookie minicamp. This will be one of the more intriguing position battles to watch in training camp.