Bears’ kicker competition gets off to laughable start
Matt Johnson, Sportsnaut 13 hrs ago
© Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Bears were poised for an incredible postseason run, then Cody Parkey missed a 43-yard, game-winning field goal and Chicago’s season came to an end.
Head coach Matt Nagy brought in eight kickers for rookie camp to find Parkey’s replacement and immediately wanted to challenge them out of the gate. Instead, Chicago’s first session of the kicking competition got off to an ironic and laughable start.
twitter.com/adamjahns/status/1124416651410182144
The shanks: Six different attempts to do what Parkey couldn’t, with far less pressure and even better kicking conditions, all six missed going through the uprights.
Chicago brought in Chris Blewitt, Redford Jones, Elliott Fry, John Baron II, Justin Yoon on deals.
Meanwhile, fellow rookies Spencer Evans, Emmit Carpenter and Casey Bednarski are in Chicago’s rookie camp on tryout deals.
The unlikely solution: In an ideal world, Chicago would love to bring back Robbie Gould to solve its kicking woes and reunite one of the team’s old icons with the city.
Gould, who received the franchise tag, is refusing to sign the tender and recently asked the San Francisco 49ers to be traded.
Unfortunately for Gould and the Bears, the 49ers do not seem interested in relenting and plan to keep him in San Francisco.
All Matt Nagy can hope for at this point is a quick turnaround by the young kickers and for one to step up and prove he is worthy for a spot.
Nagy took a gamble by having them all attempt the very same kick that is now burned into the history of Chicago sports and it backfired. At least things can only go up from here for the kickers trying out.
Poster Comment:
There will never be another Coach for the Bears like Mike Ditka.