The Bears have added another kicker.
Chicago has acquired Eddy Pineiro from the Raiders in exchange for a conditional 2021 seventh-round pick, according to a report from ESPN, which cites an unidentified league source.
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Pineiro kicked collegiately at Florida and played last preseason with Oakland. However, he was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury and never appeared in a regular-season game.
Bears traded a 2021 7th-round pick for kicker Eddy Piniero based on these conditions: he has to be on Chicago’s active roster for five games, per source. https://t.co/NifsJbRxP7
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 6, 2019
The Bears have been looking for a new kicker since they released Cody Parkey in late February. Parkey signed a four-year, $15 million contract, with $9 million guaranteed, with Chicago in March 2018. But, he was inconsistent during the regular season and missed a potential game-winning 43-yard field goal attempt with time winding down in the team’s playoff loss to the Eagles. The NFL officially ruled the kick was tipped.
ICYMI: The reigning Super Bowl champs get by the Bears after Cody Parkey's game-winning FG attempt was tipped, hit the post AND crossbar.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 7, 2019
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/vg78mX3GSj
Chicago brought in eight kickers to compete for a role with the team in minicamp last weekend. Coach Matt Nagy told reporters he was not happy with some of their performances.
“These guys have to compete,” Nagy said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. “Get them out there and let them compete. It’s not going to be kicker specifically. It’s not going to be an easy competition. It’s about making your kicks under pressure and it’s as simple as that. Either you make it, or you don’t. We’re going to test them out. … It’ll all play itself out — I know it will.”
The Bears eventually cut the competition down to two — Chris Blewitt and Elliott Fry — before trading for Pineiro.