Getty Justin Fields #1 of the Chicago Bears smiles at Pat O'Donnell #16 as they leave the field following a win over the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field on September 19, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Bengals 20-17. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears added a familiar face back to the roster this week as free agency threatens to deplete one of the team’s crucial units.
Punter Ryan Winslow rejoined the Bears on Wednesday, February 16, as did long snapper Beau Brinkley. The Bears signed the two special teams players one month ahead of the official opening of the NFL free agency period on March 16.
The moves appear to represent a backup plan for Chicago in case the team loses starting punter and placeholder Pat O’Donnell and/or starting long snapper Patrick Scales, both of whom will hit the market as free agents next month.
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Winslow Has History With Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers
GettyPat O’Donnell (left) and Eddy Pineiro (right), of the Chicago Bears, celebrate a 53-yard field goal in the final seconds of the fourth quarter to defeat the Denver Broncos. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Winslow has bounced around the league over the last few seasons, looking for his chance to catch on in a permanent role. It is possible he has found it in what will be his second stint with Chicago.
The punter caught on with the Bears in 2018 as an undrafted free agent but was bounced from the roster following the conclusion of training camp. Winslow landed with the Arizona Cardinals the following year, where he played in a total of two regular season games. He joined the Green Bay Packers practice squad in late 2020, signed a reserve/futures contract with the team in January of 2021 and was ultimately waived in August of that year — just a few weeks before the start of the regular season.
Winslow found his way back to the field later that season, however, ultimately appearing in four games for three different teams: the Carolina Panthers, the Cardinals and the Washington Commanders. Across six games in his career, Winslow has booted the football 22 times at a net average of 41.6 yards per punt with a long punt of 55 yards.
The Bears’ decision to sign Winslow on Wednesday does not guarantee he will remain on the roster, particularly if the team decides to bring O’Donnell back. O’Donnell has been in a Chicago uniform since 2014 and has started every game except for one over his eight-year NFL tenure. He has punted the ball 564 times at a net average of 45.1 yards per punt with a career-long of 75 yards. O’Donnell ranked 23rd in the NFL among qualifying punters last season with a rating of 57.0, per Pro Football Focus (PFF).
A sticking point between the team and the punter could be O’Donnell’s contract. He signed a one-year deal with the Bears in 2021 worth up to $1.75 million, per Spotrac. He has earned between $1.5-$1.8 million each of his previous four seasons in Chicago.
Scales has also been a long-time fixture with the Bears, joining the team in 2015 for his second professional season. He has started at long snapper in every game since the beginning of 2016 — save for the 2017 campaign, which he missed in its entirety due to a torn ACL. Scales made just north of $1 million last season in Chicago.
Brinkley, Scales’ potential replacement, has been in the NFL since 2012. He has played in 138 games as a long snapper, making nearly all of his starts for the Tennessee Titans.
Bears Placing Premium on Special Teams This Offseason
GettyChicago Bears new head coach Matt Eberflus spent the last four seasons running the defense for the Indianapolis Colts.
Based on their 2021 contracts, it would cost the Bears a total of roughly $3 million to bring back both O’Donnell and Scales on similar deals this upcoming year. Considering other moves the team has already made early this offseason, the Bears appear potentially inclined to make the investment.
Chicago’s new head coach Matt Eberflus made a significant move to bolster the special teams unit on February 6, when he hired Richard Hightower away from the San Francisco 49ers. Hightower served as the special teams coordinator with the Niners for five seasons, which included two runs to the NFC Championship Game and a Super Bowl appearance in 2019-20.
He also notably led the unit during San Francisco’s Divisional Round Playoff victory over the Packers in January. The Niners blocked a Mason Crosby field goal late in the first half of that game, before blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. San Francisco ultimately defeated Green Bay by a score of 13-10.
Hightower brings a long track record of success to a Bears’ special teams group that finished 6th in the NFL in team grades last season, per PFF.
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Bears Sign Former Packers Specialist Amid Free Agency Questions