The Chicago Bears are moving on from rookie long snapper Beau Gardner after just two weeks of the 2026 NFL regular season. Gardner snapped in Chicago's record-setting win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 1 and in the Bears' ugly 9-3 loss in Week 2 to the Minnesota Vikings.
Gardner went undrafted in the 2026 NFL draft and is a former Georgia Bulldogs All-SEC standout. The long snapper helped the Bears convert one field goal and eight extra points in the season opener against the Panthers.
However, things did not go as smoothly for Chicago in Week 2. The Bears struggled to get things going offensively against the Vikings and had quarterback Caleb Williams go down with an injury when he was scrambling to try to score a touchdown. The Bears were
trailing by six at the time and then settled for a 23-field goal attempt that was blocked. Chicago made their other field goal attempt, a 50-yarder against Minnesota.
"The operation was not clean. The snap was not good,” Bears coach Ben Johnson said on Chicago's blocked field goal. "The first field goal was a warning shot as far as I’m concerned."
In a corresponding move, the Bears signed long snapper Scott Daly to their active roster. Chicago signed Daly off New Orleans' practice squad. Gardner will look for a new NFL home.
"Daly spent two seasons with Chicago, from 2024-2025, but the team let him walk in free agency this offseason," Alyssa Barbieri of Bears Wire wrote. "He landed with New Orleans, where he's been on the practice squad."
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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Bears waive former Georgia Bulldogs All-SEC specialist
