After all the kicking drama that accompanied the Chicago Bears’ training camp last season, there could be more on the horizon after the team signed kicker Cairo Santos to a contract Tuesday.
According to multiple reports, head coach Matt Nagy says that Santos is only on the team as insurance for a groin injury that has slowed incumbent kicker Eddy Pineiro, but he also indicated that there is a possibility that the team could carry two kickers on its 53-man roster heading into the regular season.
This is Santos’ second go-round with the Bears after he signed with the team in Nov. 2017. He ended up being placed on injured reserve a short time later after suffering a groin strain before a game against the San Francisco 49ers.
In 67 career games, Santos has made 80.6% percent of his field goals and 96.4% of his extra points. He appeared in five games for the Tennessee Titans last season, with four made field goals on nine attempts. He made all 12 of the extra points he attempted for the club.
Pineiro, who won a wide-ranging kicking derby last season after the Bears decided to get rid of Cody Parkey, made 23 of the 28 field goals he attempted, along with 27 of his 29 attempted extra points.
The Bears also signed wide receiver Alex Wesley as part of their roster moves Tuesday. To make room on the active roster, the team placed tight end Darion Clark on injured reserve, and released wide receiver Trevor Davis.
