The Chicago Bears’ kicker competition this offseason provided fans few signs of hope for a reliable option to emerge. Two days of training camp practices have changed everything.
Matt Nagy had his kickers alternate days in the spotlight. Elliott Fry missed his first kick Saturday but finished 9-of-10, and Eddy Pineiro matched his performance with a strong day in front of the crowd Sunday.
Fry capped off his Saturday with a 60-yard field goal that drew the admiration of the crowd and his teammates. Pineiro raised the bar at the end of his session Sunday.
These two training camp practices reinforce why Fry and Pineiro survived the offseason competition of no fewer than eight kickers. They’re pushing each other and not backing down from the challenge.
Still, it’s one thing to hit field goals in practice on a sunny, summer afternoon. But the Bears need to find the kicker who can step up in the final seconds of a frigid playoff game at Soldier Field and nail the pressure-packed kick. Easier said than done.
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