Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2017 23:42:45 GMT -6
Bears bring in kicker Cairo Santos for a visit
Brad BiggsBrad BiggsContact ReporterChicago Tribune
Link:www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-cairo-santos-kicker-20171116-story.html
Philadelphia Eagles v Kansas City Chiefs
Cairo Santos kicks a successful field goal during a Chiefs game on Sept. 17, 2017. (Peter Aiken / Getty Images)
Four days following the best game of the season for their kicker Connor Barth, the Bears brought in veteran Cairo Santos for a visit.
Santos took a medical for the Bears on Thursday, a source told the Tribune, but it doesn’t appear the Bears will offer a contract to him at this point.
Barth was 3-for-3 with field goals from 45, 44 and 49 yards in the rain during the Bears’ 23-16 loss to the Packers on Sunday at Soldier Field. But Barth has been inconsistent and the Bears have explored other options throughout the season.
Kansas City waived/injured Santos on Sept. 30 after he was placed on IR with a groin injury. Santos is finally believed to be healthy and could have multiple teams interested in him. He was 3-for-3 on field goals and 6-for-6 on extra points through the first three games with 10 touchbacks on 18 kickoffs. Santos was sidelined during training camp with a groin injury and was re-injured during a Week 3 victory over the Chargers leading the Chiefs to put him on the shelf and sign Harrison Butker.
The 26-year-old Santos was 31 for 35 on field goals last season in Kansas City, ranking fifth in the NFL at 88.6 percent. He is 80 for 105 on field goals in his career (84.8) since making the Chiefs in 2014 as an undrafted free agent from Tulane. Santos hit 55.8 percent of his kickoffs for touchbacks last season, a career best.
Teams have been monitoring Santos since the Chiefs cut him loose and because he was waived/injured, he earned roughly half of the $1.797 million contract he had for this season as a restricted free agent. He already completed a physical for the Buccaneers, one team that has expressed interest.
Santos is the first Brazilian born player in the NFL. He grew up playing soccer and wasn’t introduced to football until he was a 15-year-old exchange student in Florida. He liked kicking a football so much he made the decision to remain in the U.S. for high school.
Barth is 10 for 14 on field goals and was 2 for 5 from 40-49 yards before finding his range in the loss to Green Bay. The Bears challenged Barth during training camp when they claimed Roberto Aguayo off waivers from the Buccaneers. The Bears brought Aguayo and Josh Lambo, now with the Jaguars, in for a tryout on Oct. 4 but made the decision to stick with Barth. It appears he will remain their kicker for Sunday’s game against the Lions at Soldier Field.
Barth said he used the bye week to hone in on his mechanics. He has touchbacks on 53.1 percent of his kickoffs.
“Just being a little tentative,” Barth said after the loss to the Packers. “It’s like golf, it’s a very mental game. I was being a little tentative on a few of those and you’ve just got to trust your swing and I said today, ‘Just trust what you’ve been doing for your whole career.’ If you just hone in on your swing and trust and kick straight to the target. I think sometimes you get a little tentative and you might think you’re kicking to the target but maybe you just peek a little bit. So the main thing was having confidence. Just have confidence in every kick and go out there swinging. Whatever happens, happens.”
Santos was 1 for 3 on field goals in an 18-17 loss to the Bears on Oct. 11, 2015 at Arrowhead Stadium, one of only two games in his career with more than one missed field goal. A 27-yard try was blocked by Pernell McPhee and Santos missed a desperation 66-yard attempt on the final play of the game. That’s back when Robbie Gould was kicking for the Bears. Gould joined the 49ers this season and he is 19 for 21 on field goal
Brad BiggsBrad BiggsContact ReporterChicago Tribune
Link:www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-cairo-santos-kicker-20171116-story.html
Philadelphia Eagles v Kansas City Chiefs
Cairo Santos kicks a successful field goal during a Chiefs game on Sept. 17, 2017. (Peter Aiken / Getty Images)
Four days following the best game of the season for their kicker Connor Barth, the Bears brought in veteran Cairo Santos for a visit.
Santos took a medical for the Bears on Thursday, a source told the Tribune, but it doesn’t appear the Bears will offer a contract to him at this point.
Barth was 3-for-3 with field goals from 45, 44 and 49 yards in the rain during the Bears’ 23-16 loss to the Packers on Sunday at Soldier Field. But Barth has been inconsistent and the Bears have explored other options throughout the season.
Kansas City waived/injured Santos on Sept. 30 after he was placed on IR with a groin injury. Santos is finally believed to be healthy and could have multiple teams interested in him. He was 3-for-3 on field goals and 6-for-6 on extra points through the first three games with 10 touchbacks on 18 kickoffs. Santos was sidelined during training camp with a groin injury and was re-injured during a Week 3 victory over the Chargers leading the Chiefs to put him on the shelf and sign Harrison Butker.
The 26-year-old Santos was 31 for 35 on field goals last season in Kansas City, ranking fifth in the NFL at 88.6 percent. He is 80 for 105 on field goals in his career (84.8) since making the Chiefs in 2014 as an undrafted free agent from Tulane. Santos hit 55.8 percent of his kickoffs for touchbacks last season, a career best.
Teams have been monitoring Santos since the Chiefs cut him loose and because he was waived/injured, he earned roughly half of the $1.797 million contract he had for this season as a restricted free agent. He already completed a physical for the Buccaneers, one team that has expressed interest.
Santos is the first Brazilian born player in the NFL. He grew up playing soccer and wasn’t introduced to football until he was a 15-year-old exchange student in Florida. He liked kicking a football so much he made the decision to remain in the U.S. for high school.
Barth is 10 for 14 on field goals and was 2 for 5 from 40-49 yards before finding his range in the loss to Green Bay. The Bears challenged Barth during training camp when they claimed Roberto Aguayo off waivers from the Buccaneers. The Bears brought Aguayo and Josh Lambo, now with the Jaguars, in for a tryout on Oct. 4 but made the decision to stick with Barth. It appears he will remain their kicker for Sunday’s game against the Lions at Soldier Field.
Barth said he used the bye week to hone in on his mechanics. He has touchbacks on 53.1 percent of his kickoffs.
“Just being a little tentative,” Barth said after the loss to the Packers. “It’s like golf, it’s a very mental game. I was being a little tentative on a few of those and you’ve just got to trust your swing and I said today, ‘Just trust what you’ve been doing for your whole career.’ If you just hone in on your swing and trust and kick straight to the target. I think sometimes you get a little tentative and you might think you’re kicking to the target but maybe you just peek a little bit. So the main thing was having confidence. Just have confidence in every kick and go out there swinging. Whatever happens, happens.”
Santos was 1 for 3 on field goals in an 18-17 loss to the Bears on Oct. 11, 2015 at Arrowhead Stadium, one of only two games in his career with more than one missed field goal. A 27-yard try was blocked by Pernell McPhee and Santos missed a desperation 66-yard attempt on the final play of the game. That’s back when Robbie Gould was kicking for the Bears. Gould joined the 49ers this season and he is 19 for 21 on field goal
