The Bears may have finally found their kicker.
Eddy Pineiro went 2-for-2 on field goals on Saturday night, including a 58-yarder, and also made all three of his extra point attempts. Afterward Bears coach Matt Nagy said Pineiro has stepped up since last week, when the Bears cut their other kicker, Elliott Fry, and told Pineiro he was going to get every opportunity to win the job before the start of the season.
“When we went out to practice, I think you could see a little more confidence in him knowing that he’s going to get every rep,” Nagy said. “There’s no question when [he] is kicking in the game, in practice, etc. It kind of goes back to the days in training camp when we were giving those kickers a full day; they knew they weren’t alternating, so I think it certainly helps.”
Pineiro said Nagy has shown faith in him.
“He made me feel comfortable,” Pineiro said. “It was just like, ‘Stay positive. We are going to back you up, our team is going to back you up. Don’t let any of the media stuff get you. You’re in a good place right now.’”
It’s still possible that the Bears could bring in another kicker if Pineiro struggles in the fourth preseason game, but it certainly appears that Pineiro has won the kicking job for a team that desperately needed to improve at the position.