Scott Daly

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

Scott Daly delivered the kind of production that earns a C+ Contract Value Index relative to the long snapper pay band. At $1.24M AAV on a one-year deal, Daly's contract reflects the specialized, low-leverage economics of the position — long snappers occupy a narrow market tier where the gap between starter and backup is often invisible to the public eye, and Daly's $1.24M placement sits squarely in that replacement-level-to-solid-starter range. His 2025 season statistics of 3 tackles across 17 games underscore the limited counting-stat opportunity inherent to the role; the real evaluation metric for long snappers is snap accuracy and consistency, dimensions the sentiment context acknowledges he's failed to dominate — the Bears were forced into an emergency long-snapping pivot mid-season when Daly was ruled out, a red flag that suggests his on-field reliability hasn't been quietly elite. At 32 and five seasons into his career, Daly represents the definition of an acceptable placeholder: the Bears' recent roster moves (signings of defensive depth, linebacker, returner depth) paint a picture of a front office stabilizing known quantities rather than upgrading, and Daly fits that mold precisely. His CVI grade of C+ reflects a fair market alignment — not an overpay, not a bargain, but the kind of one-year, low-dollar renewal that teams execute on veteran specialists when internal competition and camp performance suggest the player has earned another shot without commanding premium dollars.

Contracts in the Same Value Band

Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where Scott's contract sits relative to comparable money.

Performance AnalysisNot Tracked

Performance grades for LSs are not available. ESPN does not track individual statistics for offensive linemen, punters, long snappers, or fullbacks. This player will remain ungraded unless they change positions.

Fan Sentiment

The talk around Scott Daly this stretch nets a C+ sentiment grade. Long snappers occupy perhaps the most thankless corner of any NFL roster—applauded only when invisible, scrutinized the moment something goes wrong—and Daly's media narrative reflects exactly that ambient indifference, punctuated by one genuine crisis moment that reminded Chicago fans the position exists at all. The defining story of his recent footprint centers on a 2025 game in which he was ruled out, forcing tight end Cole Kmet into emergency long-snapping duties and sparking legitimate questions about the Bears' depth planning at what should be a locked-down role; that forced substitution briefly elevated his profile before receding back into the special teams shadows. His performance grade sitting at a D confirms the on-field production hasn't been quietly elite—it's been quietly middling, a meaningful distinction for a five-year veteran, though the unit's splash play on the Raiders' blocked field goal did provide some collective halo effect without naming him a direct contributor. The Bears' May offseason moves—re-signing Daly alongside depth acquisitions like linebacker Jon Rhattigan and wide receiver Scott Miller—frame him as a known quantity stabilizing a roster rather than an upgrade target, the kind of familiar veteran move that reads as "acceptable placeholder" rather than "dependable cornerstone" heading into 2026. At 32, securing another contract in Chicago is its own form of professional success for a long snapper, but the narrative going forward is less about confidence in his standing and more about whether his next absence forces another round of emergency improvisation.