Tag: bears kicker

Bears kicker Eddy Pineiro placed on IR, Cairo Santos will start vs. Lions

Eddy Pineiro was placed on IR with a groin injury, and Cairo Santos will be Chicago’s kicker for the first three weeks of the season.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Chicago Bears have a kicker problem. Only this wasn’t production-related. Chicago, we’ve got an injury problem.

The Bears officially placed kicker Eddy Pineiro on injured reserve Monday. The move doesn’t come as a surprise given Pineiro hasn’t practiced during camp after sustaining a groin injury.

Chicago brought in former Kansas City Chiefs and Bears kicker Cairo Santos as insurance in case Pineiro wasn’t able to go. Now, Santos, who was on the practice squad, has been elevated to the active roster and will get the start against the Detroit Lions in Week 1.

Under the new rules for the 2020 season, Pineiro will be eligible to return in Week 4. Which means Santos will be Chicago’s kicker for the first three games against the Lions, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons.

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Bears release K Cairo Santos, could be brought back in coming days

The Bears released veteran K Cairo Santos, which came as a surprise given the uncertainty surrounding Eddy Pineiro’s status for Week 1.

The Chicago Bears began trimming their roster to 53 players on Saturday, which included one notable name. The Bears released veteran kicker Cairo Santos to bring their roster to 71 players.

The move came as a surprise given the uncertainty surrounding kicker Eddy Pineiro’s status for Week 1. Pineiro has been battling a groin injury, and he wasn’t seen kicking during the two-week window where media were allowed to watch practice.

But according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Bears could bring Santos back on the roster in the coming days should Pineiro not be good to go against Detroit next Sunday.

Bears coach Matt Nagy told reporters during training camp that the plan was to carry two kickers, especially as Pineiro’s status remains up in the air.

“I have a history with Cairo in Kansas City,” Nagy said. “I’ve seen him make a lot of kicks, so there’s a comfort level there. … When Eddy feels like he’s ready to get out there and start kicking again, that’s what we’re going to do. Now if it gets to a point where we feel like he’s not ready, then we feel comfortable with Cairo being our kicker in Week 1 if that’s the case. We’ve just gotta see.”

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Bears hosting kicker Cairo Santos on a visit this weekend

Chicago has bigger concerns than kicker with Eddy Pineiro entering Year 2. But they’re hosting a familiar face in Cairo Santos this weekend.

It’s been pretty quiet on the kicker front for the Chicago Bears. After releasing Ramiz Ahmed earlier in training camp, that left Eddy Pineiro as the only kicker left on the roster. Which was anticipated all along.

Interestingly enough, Pineiro has yet to attempt a field goal during practice since the media was allowed to attend Monday, at least. It’s a far cry from last camp, where the kicker battle was front and center between Pineiro and Elliott Fry.

Simply put, Matt Nagy has bigger concerns than kicker.

That hasn’t stopped the Bears from doing some homework on kickers, as this season will be unlike anything with the COVID-19 pandemic. Chicago needs a contingency plan in place should Pineiro not be able to go.

The Bears are hosting kicker Cairo Santos on a visit this weekend.

And in case that name rings a bell, it should. Although you might remember him as “Carlos Santos,” after a blunder by former Bears coach John Fox.

Santos was briefly on the Bears during the 2017 season, where he played in just two games. He missed his first field goal attempt with Chicago — a 54-yarder against the Philadelphia Eagles. He finished his stint with the Bears 1-of-2 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points.

Santos was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 4 after injuring his groin during pregame warmups in Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers. Now, he’s back in Chicago for a visit.

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Eddy Pineiro wants to be the long-term answer at kicker for Bears

Chicago’s kicker struggles are no secret. But second-year kicker Eddy Pineiro is ready to be Robbie Gould’s reliable successor.

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The Chicago Bears have had issues filling the kicker position ever since they released Robbie Gould in 2016. The Bears have dealt with Connor Barth, Mike Nugent, Cairo Santos and Cody Parkey since Gould’s departure. And it’s seemed like Chicago would never find a worthy successor.

Eddy Pineiro, who the Bears signed in 2019, is gearing up for his second season, and he’s ready to be the long-term solution for Chicago.

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Pineiro was brought over to the Bears in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2021 seventh-round pick. Pineiro was one of nine kickers in the Bears’ 2019 kicking competition to replace Parkey. After winning the job, the 24-year old finished the season completing 23-of-28 field goals and 27-of-29 extra points. Pineiro is entering the last year of his contract and will become a restricted free agent following 2020.

“It would mean a lot to me and my family to stay in Chicago,” Pineiro told Bears Wire. “I want to be a Bear for a long time and be a part of the history and join the good kickers they have had, too.”

After battling the competition last year, Pineiro won’t see any of that this season. Last Tuesday, the Bears waived former Nevada kicker Ramiz Ahmed due to the new NFL rule limiting each team to an 80-man roster, which leaves Pineiro as the only kicker on their roster.

“Things have been a lot different due to the coronavirus, but I’m preparing like it was just any other season,” Pineiro said. “Coaches have me out there kicking with the team, then doing different things to get me in game mode.”

The NFL and the Bears have taken extra safety precautions to keep their players, coaches and staff safe, which has resulted in a 0.46% positive rate out of 109,075 total test.

“Things are very different,” Pineiro said. “You walk in and you have to test every single day, then you have to wear your mask around the facility at all times. I feel like the Bears have done a great job and in my opinion they are the best in the NFL on protecting us. I feel super safe and everyone is doing a great job.”

The Bears didn’t have an ideal season in 2019 after finishing 8-8 and missing the playoffs. After some key signings, trades and draft picks, the Bears are looking to reclaim the NFC North and make a deep postseason run.

“We have to work as a team,” Pineiro said. “Everyone’s focused this year. Our team is matching the intensity at practice. Everyone is excited, and there’s a different type of focus from last year compared to this year.”

The Bears kick off the regular season in less than a month against the Detroit Lions, and if they want to have a special season like 2018, they are going to have to bring that excitement and have to rely on the leg of second year kicker Eddy Pineiro.

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Chicago Bears waive kicker Ramiz Ahmed

Chicago brought in competition for K Eddy Pineiro this offseason. But it didn’t take long for him to win the starting job over Ramiz Ahmed.

The Chicago Bears brought in competition for kicker Eddy Pineiro, but it didn’t take long for him to win the job and be the lone kicker on the roster.

The Bears announced on Tuesday that they waived former Nevada kicker Ramiz Ahmed, who hasn’t played since 2018.

This offseason each team is limited to an 80-man roster and the Bears decided to use the last spot for newly signed safety Marqui Christian instead of Ahmed.

Pineiro won the kicking competition last offseason and finished the 2019 season going 23-of-28 in field goals and 27-of-29 in extra points. Now, Pineiro is set to be the Bears starter for the second straight season.

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Chris Tabor sees a ‘bigger, stronger’ Eddy Pineiro in Bears training camp

Bears special teams coordinator Chris Tabor was impressed how kicker Eddy Pineiro bulked up this offseason.

It’s hard to believe that the start of training camp is the first time this year that Chicago Bears players are hitting the practice fields at Halas Hall. Considering the entirely virtual offseason, it’s been seven months since these coaches last saw most of these players.

So when special teams coordinator Chris Tabor saw Eddy Pineiro kicking Monday for the first time since the season finale last December, he was pleased that Pineiro had taken the team’s advice and bulked up to 187 pounds this offseason.

“I’m going to be honest with you, the first day we went out and kicked—I hadn’t seen him kick since the Minnesota game—you’re looking at a bigger, stronger Eddy Pineiro,” Tabor told reporters Thursday. “I was very impressed.

“He has put on the weight that we asked. He actually decreased his body fat and you can tell he is much stronger. When we went out and kicked, the ball is jumping off his foot really well.”

Pineiro put together a solid rookie season in 2019, where he connected on 23-of-28 field goals (82.1%) and 27-of-29 extra points. But there were also concerns, including Pineiro’s rough stretch where he went 3-of-7 on field goals and his noted struggles in the windy conditions of Soldier Field.

Which is one of the reasons why the Bears felt the need to bring in competition for Pineiro in undrafted free agent Ramiz Ahmed, who last kicked for Nevada in 2018.

“He knows that he has to produce,” Tabor said of Pineiro. “I know that he will because he’s just that type of guy. I know he’s done it. He had an opportunity where he didn’t get it done. Those things eat at him. But the good thing is he’s been in those situations and we’ve seen him come through. Now we want to see him take the next step.

“He’s learning how to handle the wind here much better. I’m real proud of him. But we still have a lot of work to do. There’s so much more growth. This player can really take off. I’m excited to watch.”

At this point, the kicker competition feels like Pineiro’s to lose. And if he can build off his solid rookie season, perhaps the Bears can finally find Robbie Gould’s worthy successor.

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Bears’ Eddy Pineiro feels the pressure heading into kicker competition

While Eddy Pineiro had a solid rookie season, the Bears brought in Ramiz Ahmed to challenge him for the starting job in training camp.

For the second straight year, the Chicago Bears will have a competition at kicker in training camp. Although, to be fair, this one won’t be quite the circus last offseason’s competition was.

Last year, Eddy Pineiro outlasted Elliott Fry in training camp and preseason to win the starting job. As a rookie, Pineiro had a solid season connecting on 23-of-28 field goals (82.1%) and 27-of-29 extra points. But Pineiro wasn’t without his faults. He had a rough stretch where he went 3-of-7 on field goals, including missing some important kicks.

Pineiro notes that his rookie season was a good learning experience that should benefit him heading into his sophomore campaign. Still, he understands that he needs to improve in certain areas.

“The first year with the Bears was a good learning experience,” Pineiro said on Bears All-Access. “I think there’s a lot of room for improvement. I think I can get better. And I’m hoping for another successful year this year. Hopefully I can get my percentage up a little bit. The biggest learning experience for me was kicking in a windy game and then going to a dome, that transition. I feel like I’ve matured a lot as a kicker and hopefully this year goes good for me.”

While Pineiro had a solid rookie season, the Bears brought in Ramiz Ahmed to challenge him for the starting job in training camp. Like Pineiro a year ago, Ahmed doesn’t have any NFL experience. He last kicked as a senior at Nevada, where he connected on 15 of 20 field goals (75%).

Pineiro should be the favorite to win the job again, but he does feel the pressure that comes with competition for a starting job. Luckily, he’s already proven that he can win a kicker competition.

“Obviously, there is pressure,” Pineiro said. “They brought in somebody to compete, so I’ve got to compete. I’ve got to win my job like everybody else. Everybody has to compete and win their job.”

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Kicker battle 2.0? Ryan Pace says there will be competition between Eddy Pineiro and Ramiz Ahmed

If you couldn’t get enough of last year’s kicking competition, Bears GM Ryan Pace has good news for you.

If you couldn’t get enough of last year’s kicking competition, Ryan Pace has good news for you.

During Pace’s pre-draft conference call with reporters, the Bears general manager revealed he expects an open competition between Pineiro and newly-signed kicker Ramiz Ahmed, according to Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times.

The news isn’t earth-shattering, considering Pineiro struggled at times during his first season in Chicago, converting 23of-28 field goals and 27-of-29 extra points. His low point of the season came on a missed game-winning kick against the Los Angeles Chargers that essentially derailed his season before he was able to find his footing (no pun intended) to finish the season strong.

Pace told reporters he still believes in Pineiro, but acknowledges the competition will be benefit both players.

“We see those guys competing,” Pace said. “We love Eddy and think his future’s very bright. But those two competing against each other is a really good thing.”

Ahmed, signed late last week, was brought in to push Pineiro in camp, but the stakes were raised when Pace signaled both would compete for the starting job. Ahmed last kicked in college as a member of the Nevada Wolf Pack in 2018. He made 15 of 20 field goals during his final season.

The competition, or kicker battle 2.0, is unlikely to replicate last year’s circus that saw nearly a dozen players compete to go to training camp. The competition came down to Pineiro and Elliott Fry, with Pineiro emerging as the winner. Barring any surprising developments, this year’s competition should be a bit more tame.

While all eyes will be glued to the heavily anticipated quarterback competition between Trubisky and newcomer Nick Foles, the battle between Ahmed and Pineiro will still be worth monitoring when the Bears begin training camp.

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4 things to know about new Bears K Ramiz Ahmed

The Bears brought in competition for kicker Eddy Pineiro, and he’ll battle for the starting spot with newbie Ramiz Ahmed.

Kicker is far from the biggest concern for the Chicago Bears this offseason, which depending on how you look at it, is a welcome change. Still, that hasn’t stopped general manager Ryan Pace from bringing in competition at all positions, including kicker.

The Bears signed former Nevada kicker Ramiz Ahmed to a one-year deal on Friday, where he’ll battle Eddy Pineiro for the starting kicker job.

Let’s get to know the Bears’ newest kicker:

1. He’s competition for kicker Eddy Pineiro

The addition of Ahmed signals competition for Pineiro, who had a decent rookie season. But don’t worry, this competition won’t be as extensive as last offseason. Ahmed doesn’t have professional experience — and he last kicked for Nevada as a senior in 2018 — but he’ll serve to challenge Pineiro.

The Bears are determined to utilize competition this season to get the best out of a roster that, after contributing to a 12-4 season in 2018, dropped in production with a 8-8 year in 2019. While Pineiro wasn’t without his struggles — he had a rough streak where he went 3-of-7 on field goals — he had an overall productive season, connecting on 23-of-28 (82.1%) of field goals.

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Bears have added competition for kicker Eddy Pineiro

The Bears appear to have a kicking competition on their hands with the addition of kicker Ramiz Ahmed to a one-year deal.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but the Chicago Bears appear to have a kicking competition on their hands.

But don’t worry, this competition shouldn’t look like the circus that happened last season when as many as eight kickers were battling for the starting job.

On Friday, the Bears announced that they’ve signed kicker Ramiz Ahmed to a one-year deal. Ahmed last played as a senior at Nevada, where he connected on 15-of-20 field goals in 2018. Ahmed figures to battle Pineiro for a roster spot.

In his rookie season with the Bears, Pineiro had a solid outing. Pineiro was 23-of-28 on the season (82.1%) on field goals, and he went 27-of-29 on extra points. But he had a rough slump in the middle of the season, where he went 3-of-7 on field goals, including missing some important kicks with game implications. But Pineiro ended the season on a positive note, connecting on his final 11 field goals of the season.

Competition appears to be the theme for the 2020 Bears. Prior to the NFL Scouting Combine, general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy discussed the importance of competition on this roster heading into 2020.

They proved as much with the addition of quarterback Nick Foles, who will battle it out for the starting job with Mitchell Trubisky. Now, we’re seeing the same thing at kicker.

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