Bears bringing back punter Pat O’DonnellPatrick Finleyon March 12, 2021 at 10:59 pm

One day after bringing back kicker Cairo Santos, the Bears are doing the same for punter Pat O’Donnell.

One day after bringing back kicker Cairo Santos, the Bears are doing the same for punter Pat O’Donnell.

He will return to the team on a one-year deal, NFL Network reported.

O’Donnell was one of three members of the Bears’ special teams corps staring at free agency at the start of the week. After O’Donnell agreed to a deal, the Bears are down to one specialist in limbo: long snapper Patrick Scales.

The Bears drafted O’Donnell in the sixth round in 2014. He’s played every season for them since. Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor seemed pleased with him in late December.

“I think he’s having a good year …” he said. “Obviously I think he’s handled field position real well for us, with regard to inside the 20s and 10s and those type of things. I think just him holding for field goals. The little things of manipulating the football, with regards to, ‘It’s a left-to-right wind, right to left, how I’m going to work the laces,’ and those type of things.

“I mean, those are really important things that he’s really good at. So I’m glad he’s here, and I think he’s playing at a high level.”

NFL Network first reported the signing.

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