The Chicago Bears’ kicking situation gained some clarity on Sunday:
#Bears roster move:
We have waived K Elliott Fry.— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) August 18, 2019
Elliott Fry has been waived by the Bears. That leaves Eddy Piñeiro as the only kicker on the Bears’ roster.
But wait … why now?
Why cut Fry now? Nagy says it will get more kicks for Pineiro in practice and games. "It's a great opportunity for him to see what he can do."
— Larry Mayer (@LarryMayer) August 18, 2019
Waiving Fry now allows Piñeiro to get a full assortment of reps over the final two preseason games. No more splitting reps in practice. No longer will the Bears pick and choose their spots for their kickers. The ball is squarely in Piñeiro’s court. This is his competition to win.
Parting ways with Fry at this stage of the summer also opens up a roster spot should they look to add another kicker to the mix between now and the end of camp. GM Ryan Pace maintained he would continue to look outside the organization for kicking help should an opportunity present itself. But for the time being, Piñeiro has positioned himself to win the summertime kicking competition with a strong two weeks to close out preseason.
Stay tuned, Bears fans. This isn’t over just yet.