Buccaneers Sign Former Bears Player for New Special Teams Competition

Special teams make special teams, as the saying goes, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be the first team to agree with it. The Bucs had a brutal special teams unit in 2025 that hampered their success numerous times during the season, and as a result, head coach Todd Bowles made some sweeping changes.

He fired special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey and hired new coordinator Danny Smith from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and since then, the Bucs have put an emphasis on getting new talent on special teams. They brought on safety Miles Killebrew, a special teams ace who followed Smith to Tampa Bay, and now, they're introducing a new competition in the room as rookie minicamp ends.

The Buccaneers are signing veteran long-snapper Scott Daly, per FOX Sports' Greg Auman. Daily was a tryout player at rookie minicamp, and now, he'll compete for the same job in Tampa Bay against incumbent long-snapper Evan Deckers.

Bucs are signing veteran long-snapper Scott Daly, who was a tryout player at rookie minicamp this weekend. Will challenge Evan Deckers for their snapping job.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) May 11, 2026

Buccaneers set for long-snapper competition this offseason

Tampa Bay Buccaneers long snapper Evan Deckers (86) against the Miami Dolphins at Raymond James Stadium. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Daly has some immediate experience to draw on when it comes to the role. He was the Chicago Bears' long-snapper for the last two seasons, and before that, he was the Detroit Lions' long-snapper for three years. He played college football at Notre Dame, so he joins a growing Fighting Irish cohort in Tampa Bay that includes cornerback Benjamin Morrison and guard Billy Schrauth.

Tampa Bay's current long-snapper is Evan Deckers, who won the job in 2024. He was brought on in 2023 to push the team's long-snapper at the time, Zach Triner, and he eventually beat out Triner in 2024 before suffering an injury in Week 3 of that season. He played in all 17 games last season, but the Buccaneers clearly want to push him in the same way that they brought him on to push Triner.

The move comes as Tampa Bay looks to rehaul its special teams unit entirely, and it seems as if no job is safe under Bowles and Smith. The Bucs will look at long-snapper this offseason, but other special teams positions, like kick and punt returners and gunners, will also be up for grabs before the season starts.

Tampa Bay's next phase of the offseason starts on May 26, when OTAs begin.

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