Cairo Santos Provides Matt Nagy with Kicker Comfort

Go back for a moment in time, all the way to Jan. 6, 2019, in the evening on the lakefront in Chicago, and try not to go into convulsions.

The kick went off the left upright, off the crossbar and to the turf. Then Cody Parkey went out of town.

Matt Nagy's scant confidence in his kicker had been lost forever.

When he decided on Eddy Pineiro last year and the Bears beat the Denver Broncos with two 50-plus field goals, including the game-winner from 53, Nagy seemed to be getting to a place in his coaching psyche where he could call on the field goal kicker and be confident he didn't have to worry about doinks.

Then came the loss to the Chargers, the ball being spotted in the wrong place and the disasters against the Rams. Even the 11 straight made field goals to finish the season couldn't have done much for Nagy's confidence, and special teams coordinator Chris Tabor's for that matter, because none came outside 46 yards.

Ah, but now, there is Cairo Santos.

Nagy has never spoken like this about a kicker in Chicago.

"Just being with him for, I think it was around four years, in Kansas City, I just remember thinking that whole time that we were there, there was no concern at all whenever he was out there of making a field goal," Nagy said. "There was a lot of confidence in him. So, I think that's good."

That's ease of mind. That's sending a kicker onto the field and being sure you're getting three points.

"You want that with all of your kickers and he showed that the other day in Soldier Field," Nagy said.

Santos made every single kick he tried at Soldier Field in Saturday's scrimmage. He wasn't stubbing ugly kicks through or hitting one barely over the line of scrimmage that supposedly a lineman's finger nail touched.

Santos kicked them high, true and good.

"He has a great personality and he understands his role and where he's at and what his job is," Nagy said. "So for me, personally, just selfishly having him as a player in Kansas City helps out I think probably with the mindset here in Chicago."

The Bears have chosen this path of having two kickers available, but what good is this really?

If one of the kickers has an injury or came down with COVID-19, you simply put them on injured reserve, bring in kickers for tryouts and sign one. It isn't that complicated.

Pineiro obviously has a groin injury. It wouldn't be surprising to see him go onto the practice squad, but even expanded practice squads spots come at a premium.

If Pineiro is hurting, and he has a groin injury history because he had one when the Raiders put him on IR in preseason two years ago, the Bears have to really think about IR for him this year.

They could always bring in another kicker if they needed one. It's not that big of a deal. There are plenty always out there floating around on the open market. Nagy has to get that fear of all kickers not named Santos out if his head. Cody Parkey doesn't lurk around every goal post.

In the meantime, they can breathe easier knowing they have a kicker who commands great confidence from his coach.

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