One day after coach Matt Nagy was visibly annoyed by the incompetence of his three inexperienced kickers, the Bears cut Chris Blewitt on Wednesday morning.
Removing the former Pitt kicker from competition leaves the Bears with two candidates: Eddy Piñeiro, whom they acquired from the Raiders, and ex-Alliance of American Football kicker Elliott Fry.
The timing was notable. The Bears have only two minicamp practices — really, one-and-a-half, given Thursday’s likely short showing — left before breaking for the summer.
All three kickers missed a 42-yarder during Tuesday’s practice. Piñeiro hit the right upright, Blewitt was wide left and Fry wide right.
Nagy was frustrated.
“I mean, that’s about as real as it gets,” Nagy said. “They were 0-for-3 out there. For today, we can’t have that. We are going to figure this thing out. But 0-for-3 today, no good.”
The team signed Blewitt in March, and were fond of his clutch performances in college. He emerged, alongside Fry, from the eight-man derby during rookie minicamp.
Last week, Blewitt said the competition wasn’t strange.
“I don’t really think the atmosphere is really that much different than any other situation,” hew said. “Really, it’s just like we’re all out here trying to do the best we can every day, put our best foot forward. Give the best effort we can. ...
“There isn’t any extra pressure.”
