NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Bears have been alternating kickers during their training camp competition, giving both Eddy Piñeiro and Elliott Fry ample opportunities to strut their stuff and allowing for the decision-makers at Halas Hall to get an extended look at the two combatants on a daily basis.
However, the alternating practices is going to come to an end soon:
Both kickers will have the opportunity to kick at Saturday’s practice at Soldier Field, per special teams coordinator Chris Tabor. He would not reveal the plan for the preseason games. #Bears
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) August 1, 2019
Special Teams Coordinator Chris Tabor told reporters in Bourbonnais that Piñeiro and Fry will kick at Soldier Field during the Bears’ first practice at Soldier Field. It will be the first time either has kicked at the home of Chicago’s football team.
Saturday’s Family Fest practice will mark the first action at the Bears’ home stadium since Cody Parkey’s double-doink ended the team’s Super Bowl run before it could really get started. Needless to say, fans in attendance will be locked in to the special teams drills and amped up to see what their team’s place-kickers will do.
As for Thursday’s action, Piñeiro’s was under the spotlight. And once again, he made the most of it:
Eddy Pineiro went 7/8 in his kicking drill. Missed from 55 and made his last from 60. He’s now 8/9 for the day #Bears
— Bear Report (@BearReport) August 1, 2019
Piñeiro nailed 8 of 9 kicks on Thursday, including another make from 60 yards. Not bad! That brings his numbers to 15-for-17 in front of the training camp crowds at Olivet Nazarene University. That comes out to an 88.2 percent success rate. And while I’m very well aware of the caveats of these results coming in ideal summertime weather, without defenders trying to get home for a block, and without the pressure of a game hanging in the balance. But isn’t it encouraging to read reports of successful kicking attempts than the alternative? Because if we were seeing the kickers struggle at this point of camp, it would be reason enough to be elevate our (admittedly already high) levels of concern.
We will see how Fry follows up Piñeiro’s performance on Thursday when he takes the field for practice on Friday. After that, fans attending Family Fest at Soldier Field will get an opportunity to see what these competitors are made of when they take the battle for kicking supremacy to the home of the Bears.
