30 Most Important Bears of 2026: Cairo Santos (No. 20)

ASFN Admin · Jul 9, 2026

The Chicago Bears are gearing up for a hyped 2026 season, where they're looking to build off their impressive first season under head coach Ben Johnson, which included an NFC North title and a wild-card playoff win. While they found success in 2025, it's a brand new slate for this Bears team following an offseason of change, including the departures of key veterans and the additions of new veterans and exciting rookies.

The work begins in training camp, where Johnson will put his team through the wringer with the intent to prepare them for the 2026 season. Every day from now right up through training camp, we’re counting down our 30 Most Important Bears for the 2026 season. We’ll recap their 2025 season, look ahead to 2026 and tackle the biggest question facing them this year.

Next up at No. 20 is kicker Cairo Santos, who is entering his seventh season with Chicago and once again could prove to be crucial with the game on the line. But what does Santos' future look like with the Bears?

Background

Position: Kicker

Age: 34

Experience: 13th season

2026 cap hit: $3.76 million

2025 recap

Santos was a controversial player in Chicago last season, where at one point some were ready to move on with Jake Moody, who stepped in for a couple games in Santos' absence. While Santos has brought stability to the kicker position that wasn't there since Robbie Gould, he's not exactly a modern NFL kicker known for his leg strength. In 2025, Santos connected on 25-for-30 field goals and all 39 extra point attempts. His 83.3% field goal percentage was the lowest since joining the Bears although he made all of his extra points for his first time with Chicago. Santos came through with some clutch kicks to force overtime, win games or even put the Bears in a position to win, especially in the swirling winds of Soldier Field. But, at some point, you have to wonder with his inability to connect on long field goals (now a regularity in the NFL) when will the team move on.

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Importance in 2026

Santos is entering his seventh season with Chicago, and he's brought stability to the kicker position, even if he's not only of the flashiest or big-legged kickers in the league. Santos struggled last season, booting his lowest field goal percentage since joining the Bears, so he's going to need to be more consistent. The hope is that Chicago can learn to play with a lead this season. But, should history repeat itself, the Bears might need Santos to win some games in key situations. Luckily, Santos proved last season to be the go-to guy in clutch situations, including during some key moments in the playoffs amid windy and adverse conditions. While Chicago would love to score touchdowns on every drive, that's not realistic in the NFL. So, once again, Santos remains a key contributor as the Bears look to replicate their success in 2026.

Big Question: What does Santos' future look like in Chicago?

Unlike last summer, there's no question about Santos potentially losing his job given he's the only kicker on the roster. At least not at this point. Still, there are lingering questions about Santos' short-term future in Chicago. Santos signed a four year, $15.9 million contract extension back in Dec. 2023, so he still has two years left on his current deal. While there's been plenty of speculation about the Bears potentially moving on from the veteran kicker, they haven't brought in any real substantial competition for him. Jake Moody might've been the closest to real competition, and he filled in valiantly when Santos missed a couple games last season. But Chicago appears content with Santos, at least for the time being. We'll see if that changes in the near future.