NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Bears probably didn’t pull the plug on the Chris Blewitt experience Wednesday morning to send a message to Elliott Fry and Eddy Piñeiro. HOWEVER, there is a chance that something valuable could have come by sending that hypothetical message — if only to see how the survivors of this phase of the kicking competition would react in the team’s next mandatory minicamp practice.
Thankfully, Fry and Piñeiro provided something positive worth sharing for a change:
Bears head coach Matt Nagy: "Our kickers were much better with their kicks today."
— Jeff Dickerson (@DickersonESPN) June 12, 2019
Fry’s good FG from 45 also started with a low snap.
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) June 12, 2019
It’s nice to share some good news from the kicking carnival.
Piñeiro made both of his kicks during Wednesday’s practice, nailing attempts from 45 and 53 yards while dealing with the silent treatment. The Bears traded for Piñeiro in May and the team could be willing to roll the dice on the strong-legged Florida product who was once bold enough to ask for Tim Tebow’s jersey number when playing for the Gators. A healthy mix of talent and bravado could go a long way for the only kicker in Bears camp to have kicked in an NFL game (I guess a preseason exhibition counts … right?).
Fry made two of the three kicks he tried on Wednesday, including one from 53 that was ultimately waived off because he was iced by a defensive timeout. Oh, those defensive tricksters. They’ll get you every time.
The Bears’ kicking competition isn’t going to have a winner for a while. And until that day comes, the team is going to do everything in its power to test everything it it can before making a decision. Even then, Chicago could still go in a different direction if they don’t love what they have in front of them at any point between now and when the season starts. Just thinking about it sends my mind spinning.
There are 84 days until the Bears open up their season, so this thing is going to have its share of twists and turns before then. But at least for one day, it was nice to have some positive vibes to write about. I’ll enjoy it while I can, because who knows what will come about after this final round of minicamp practice.
