NEWSLETTER
All we know about the Bears’ search for a new kicker are that Redford Jones and Chris Blewitt are currently in the mix to vie for Cody Parkey’s old gig in what is a good, old-fashioned kicking competition.
Seriously, that’s it.
We don’t even know all that much about either of the candidates in contention for Chicago’s open kicking position. Neither was a star college kicker and both have a lot to prove.
Jones probably jumped onto the Bears’ radar because of his work with John Carney, who happens to be the NFL’s fifth all-time leading scorer and someone whose paths crossed with Bears GM Ryan Pace when both were in New Orleans. Blewitt is best known for knocking through a 48-yard game-winning kick that knocked off No. 2 Clemson. Otherwise, there isn’t much to write home about the up-start kicker.
So what drew the Bears’ interest in Blewitt? Well, let’s allow Pace to explain it:
Bears brought Chris Blewitt in for a tryout with 5-6 other kickers, and per Pace: “He just clearly separated himself. Just the power and the pop in his leg is what jumped out in the workout. And you could feel his confidence and all those things are there, too."
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) March 26, 2019
If that concept seems familiar, it’s because you might remember what the Bears GM said in late February when addressing what he was looking for out of a kicker. And if you don’t remember, allow me to serve up a reminder of what we wrote at the time: “Pace told reporters meeting him at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis that leg strength was something the Bears were going to prioritize when evaluating and signing their next kicker.”
Remember, the biggest concern regarding the Parkey signing (at the time) was a lack of success and experience when it came to kicking from long distance. Because after going 4-for-4 as a rookie on attempts from 50+ yards away in 2014, Parkey attempted just three kicks of 50+ yards in the three years that followed. The scouting report on Parkey highlighted his accuracy from 49 yards and within, but questions remained about his leg strength from long range. Those questions were answered with how Parkey kicked in 2018.
Clearly, Pace and the Bears don’t want to make the same mistake twice. Hence, a top priority in finding Parkey’s replacement is to find a strong-legged kicker whose tries can cut through a brisk Chicago breeze. That Pace emphasized “the power and pop” in Blewitt’s leg simply represents the latest example of the Bears GM showing what he is looking for in his next kicker.
And while you can’t take too much out of a tryout in a climate-controlled, indoor facility, at least there is some video evidence that proves Blewitt and bang it deep:
A 56-yard boot to beat Georgia Tech on the road? That’ll do, new guy. That will most certainly do.
Now, let’s see if you can replicate that in Chicago on the professional level.
