NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Bears’ kicking competition is about to hit a new gear:
Nagy says both kickers will kick Thursday.
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) August 5, 2019
Head Coach Matt Nagy told reporters in Bourbonnais that Eddy Piñeiro and Elliott Fry will kick during the Bears’s preseason game against the Panthers on Thursday at Soldier Field. On Saturday, Fry and Piñeiro looked good in their first taste of kicking in what could be their home stadium this coming season. But the vibe will certainly be different when both will get opportunities to kick against special teams units going all out to block the pigskin.
As for Monday’s practice, neither kicker did anything to separate themselves from the competition:
Elliott Fry and Eddy Piñeiro both go 6-for-8 in drills. Both missed from what looked to be 50+ to close things out. Not the type of ending fans were hoping to see this morning.
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) August 5, 2019
Both Fry and Piñeiro went 6-for-8 while alternating kicks during Monday’s practice. And yes, that *IS* a change from what the Bears had been doing previously in having the kickers alternating days. HOWEVER, it makes sense to see the change in tact as the kickers continue to ramp up the competition.
The misses — including a pair from 55 yards out — weren’t pretty. But things have gone well to this point, so a pair of misfires from each kicker isn’t the end of the world.
It won’t be long until we move on from analyzing practice kicks and start watching the guys kick on NFL fields. From there, the Bears will pick one to start the year as their guy … unless they go outside the building and snag someone they like more than the two guys currently in camp.
