After the Chicago Bears fired basic supervisor Ryan Tempo following a 6-11 end in 2021, new GM Ryan Poles vowed to show the group round. He appeared to imagine one of the best ways to do this was by wiping the slate clear, jettisoning many of the gamers from the Tempo period.
One other title may quickly be added to the listing of exits, Invoice Zimmerman of Windy Metropolis Gridiron predicted:
“One vital participant from the Ryan Tempo regime will likely be lower previous to the beginning of the season, and I’m going with Cairo Santos.”
It’s no secret that Soldier Discipline, the Bears’ residence stadium, is among the harder stadiums to kick in – Chicago is known as the Windy Metropolis for a purpose, in spite of everything. Regardless of often-adverse residence circumstances, Santos was as near a positive factor as one may get final season on discipline objectives, making 21-of-23 makes an attempt.
Nevertheless, the 31-year-old kicker missed 5 further factors and did not make a discipline aim past 51 yards.
In a transfer that appeared at first to have the aim of igniting a coaching camp competitors, the Bears signed kicker Andre Szmyt as an undrafted free agent on Could 4. It seems Szmyt’s signing could also be greater than only a warning for Santos, although. The Syracuse product gained the Lou Groza Award because the nation’s finest kicker in 2018 and has proven a capability to transform lengthy field-goal makes an attempt.
Maybe most significantly for Chicago, Szmyt made all 40 of his PAT makes an attempt final season at Syracuse. His makes an attempt got here from the two-yard line (the school distance) relatively than the 15-yard line (the NFL distance). However he made all his further factors and that’s what counts.
Past his kicking prowess, Szmyt is youthful (24) and less expensive than Santos. His three-year contract begins at simply over $750K this season, way more low cost than Santos’ $4.5 million cap hit.
Though Santos – an 11-year NFL veteran – was among the many finest within the league at field-goal kicking final season, it’s secure to say he’s on discover.
