Bear Digest

Are the Chicago Bears setting up for a real kicking competition?

Cairo Santos has been money for the Bears as a kicker but undrafted challenger Anthony Kim has a reptutation for having a very powerful leg.

Gene Chamberlain

Former Michigan State kicker Anthony Kim, now a Bears UDFA, has a reputation for a big leg and could provide Cairo Santos with a real challenge.
Former Michigan State kicker Anthony Kim, now a Bears UDFA, has a reputation for a big leg and could provide Cairo Santos with a real challenge. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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It was only six years ago and 180 field goal attempts since the most infamous kick in Chicago Bears history.

Of course, this was the double-doink by he who must not be named, Cody Parkey. Then came the equally infamous nationwide kicker manhunt.

Since then Eddy Pineiro, Michael Badgley and Cairo Santos have done the kicking and the Bears settled on Santos. He hasn't left them regretting the decision, setting franchise records for most accurate field goal kicking (.893) and most in a season from 50 yards or longer (8).

Last year Saintos had back-to-back field goals blocked in different games, though. The first cost the Bears a loss to the Packers and the second denied them three points that could have eventually meant a win over the Vikings.

Through the season, Santos had endured different snappers in Scott Daly and even Cole Kmet, and a new holder in punter Tory Taylor. After the blocks, opponents remarked how they had found a flaw in Santos' kicking to exploit for blocks, so he went to work making corrections.

"He has some things that he wants to reach this year," special teams coordinator Richard Hightower said of Santos. "He’s got a chip on his shoulder and Tory (Taylor) as well."

Even with those numbers, the two field goals stung and the Bears definitely didn't avoid controversy—they signed another kicker who is a bit more than your common camp leg.

It would appear Santos might actually have a job challenge. It might be a, gasp, kicking competition. Again.

The kicker they signed as an undrafted free agent is Michigan State's Jonathan Kim and he gave them a bit of preview during rookie camp. The two will be spending a lot of time together until a winner is declared at training camp.

“Kim is a rookie, but he has good experience," Hightower said. "He has six years of collegiate kicking and some of those years are in inclement weather conditions.

"So, when you have a rookie kicker that's somewhat experienced, you know, the nature of that position, a lot of times those guys don't make it because they bounce around because they don't have the maturity level. What I see with this kid is a really mature kid, that already has a routine, that already has a plan. Some of those three- and four-year guys you get coming out don't have that."

It might be that Kim has something Santos doesn't and that's a leg to make kicks from 60 yards plus. While Santos has a long of 55 yards, he has made them regularly in practice in the 57- and 58-yard range. But 60 is a step beyond, or has been.

While there is talk Kim can hit from 60, his Michigan State long was a few yards shorter at 58 yards against Iowa. It was only fourth-longest ever at a school known for kickers with big legs. Pro Football Hall of Famer Morten Andersen has the Spartans' record at 63 yards and Ralf Mojsiejenko hd 61- and 59-yarders.

There's more to this than a big leg. Another aspect now might be whether they can get more kickoff hang time on shorter boots to pin teams back. The new kickoff rule will mean a touchback comes back to the 35-yard line, so a premium will be placed on being able to dump the ball down in the landing zone between the 20 and goal line.

Still, nothing trumps field goal accuracy. At Michigan State, Kim made 32 of 39 field goals and he'd need to be even more accurate in the NFL.

Kim will need to show with leg strength and accuracy that he can be a real weapon, much like they thought about Taylor when GM Ryan Poles drew criticism for drafting a punter in Round 4.

"Obviously, really strong leg and we think he has a chance to kick in this league, but we'll see if he makes the most of his opportunity," Hightower said.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.