Chicago’s training camp is headed for plenty of spotlight battles in 2026, but one of the more overlooked competitions might end up mattering just as much for the Bears.
The obvious fights will draw the most attention: CB2 between Tyrique Stevenson and Malik Muhammad, WR3 with Kalif Raymond in the mix, center involving Garrett Bradbury and Logan Jones, and several others that could shape the roster. But tucked beneath those headline-grabbing duels is a job that doesn’t usually get much fanfare and still has the power to influence a special teams unit that already looks solid.
That job is long snapper, where Luke Elkin and Beau Gardner are set to battle it out in Chicago.
It’s rare to see a true competition there. Most teams find a reliable snapper and keep him around. The Bears, though, have a legitimate two-man race on their hands.
Elkin already has some familiarity with the organization. He spent training camp with Chicago last year after going undrafted out of Iowa, then spent time on the Las Vegas Raiders’ practice squad in December before coming back to the Bears on a futures contract.
His college résumé gives him a real case, too. In 2024, he was a first-team All-American and second-team All-Big Ten selection with the Hawkeyes.
That background, along with his time working with Tory Taylor and Cairo Santos in Chicago, gives him a built-in edge.
Gardner, though, is no ordinary challenger. He was widely viewed as one of the best long snappers in this year’s draft class.
At Georgia, he earned first-team All-SEC honors in both 2024 and 2025. Last season, he added first-team All-American recognition and the Patrick Mannelly Award, which goes to the nation’s best long snapper, to an already stacked resume.
So this is not your typical camp depth chart fight. It’s a real showdown between two young specialists who were among the best in the country in college over the last few seasons.
Elkin may have the slight edge because of his experience with the Bears. Gardner, however, brings the kind of recent success that makes him tough to overlook.
For special teams coordinator Richard Hightower, the decision is going to be a tough one. For the Bears, it’s the kind of problem they’d gladly take. Whoever wins this job should be in the NFL for a long time.
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