Overview
- Scott Daly, whom the Bears signed Tuesday, was added directly to Chicago’s 53-man roster after the New Orleans Saints had him on their practice squad.
- The move responds to early-season errors from rookie long snapper Beau Gardner, whose high snaps contributed to a blocked field goal and drew public criticism from coach Ben Johnson.
- Because Daly was on a practice squad, NFL rules allowed any team to sign him only by placing him on their active roster which is how the Bears acquired him.
- The Saints had signed Daly after placing veteran Zach Wood on injured reserve following Week 1, and they must now search for another snapping option from recent tryouts or new workouts.
- Daly’s return to Chicago matters because long snapper is a highly specialized role where consistency on snaps directly affects field goals and punts, and teams often favor experienced specialists midseason rather than continuing to develop a rookie.