Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy and the rest of the coaching staff and front office are in Indianapolis this week for the 2019 NFL Combine, where the nation’s top draft prospects will attempt to impress league decision-makers with their speed and athleticism.
One position group the Bears will watch closely is kicker.
Nagy confirmed at the combine that Cody Parkey will be released and with the 49ers placing the franchise tag on Robbie Gould, Chicago’s starting kicker could come via the NFL Draft.
Nagy described the Bears’ meeting with Parkey as non-confrontational when the team informed him of his release.
“We talked to Cody and Cody knows we’re going to go in a different direction,” Nagy said. “It was a healthy talk, he took it like a true professional. We wish him the best.”
There was no way Parkey could return to the Bears after his devastating miss against the Eagles in the wild-card round – a miss that ultimately ended Chicago’s season.
The pressing question now is who will replace him? The Bears may find the answer over the next few days.
