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wab wrote:The thing to also consider, is that the Bears just brought in 3 kickers. On the surface that might not mean anything, but I can see the Bears at least seeing what they have in those guys in minicamp before making a trade for Gould.

wab wrote:The thing to also consider, is that the Bears just brought in 3 kickers. On the surface that might not mean anything, but I can see the Bears at least seeing what they have in those guys in minicamp before making a trade for Gould.

It’s going to be fascinating to see who is kicking for the Bears when they face the Packers to start the 2019 season.

While they will continue to play the long game for Robbie Gould, the Bears are going to unusual lengths to line up an inexpensive alternative to fill their void at kicker. They would love to identify an option that would spare them the expense and difficulty of the deal-making necessary to land Gould or another proven specialist.

Cody Parkey, who was released after missing a game-winning field goal attempt in the 16-15 playoff loss to the Eagles, is due $3.5 million after earning $5.5 million in salary and bonus last season. He carries a $4,062,500 cap hit for 2019. To replace him with Gould or another veteran would represent the most a team has ever committed to the kicking position.

Would the Bears go to such lengths to assure special teams will not hinder a team with Super Bowl potential? That’s unclear for now, as the 49ers say they aren’t willing to move Gould, who has demanded a trade.

The Bears hope they can find an attractive option among a large group of kickers they have signed to non-guaranteed contracts. General Manager Ryan Pace said he considered kickers in the draft but in the end opted only to sign San Diego State’s John Baron II after the draft ended on Saturday. He’s the fourth recent college product signed since Parkey was cut.

“Maybe it’s a little unorthodox to have four kickers out there,’’ Pace told reporters after the draft. “We don’t care. Let’s increase the competition and let’s let the whole thing battle out. We’re unbiased on it. Our eyes are wide open. If we need to add a veteran, we’re going to do whatever we can to get that situation right. We know the importance of it, and that’s why we’re attacking it in such an aggressive manner.’’

The Bears will actually work with at least eight kickers in workouts before training camp opens. They had previously signed Elliott Fry, Chris Blewitt and Redford Jones to non-guaranteed contracts after tryouts, and in addition to Baron they also reached agreements to bring four other kickers in for post-draft looks.

That group includes two of the top kickers in the Big Ten last year, Minnesota’s Emmit Carpenter and Purdue’s Spencer Evans. Minnesota State’s Casey Bednarski, a wild card who hit a 63-yarder for the Division II school and has made from 70 in practice, and McNeese State’s Alex Kjellsten, who was blocked by another field-goal kicker on his team but stood out on punts and kickoffs, also will be in the mix.

Leeds Bear wrote:I do understand people clamouring for him to come back...but it’s based purely on having had our dreams shattered by someone completely inept.

I’m a big believer in never going back. There’s no guarantee things would be the same again if Gould came back, and people have short memories...he did cost us games the season we let him go. Yes he’d been phenomenal in the past and seems to have Chicago in his heart. But He’d lost his mojo and was costing a fair whack. Letting him go at the time was the right thing to do.

It sounds like a nice story to bring him back and he kicks the OT game winner to take us to the Superbowl.

But I can’t see that happening. And the cost isn’t worth it.

Mikefive wrote:

Leeds Bear wrote:I do understand people clamouring for him to come back...but it’s based purely on having had our dreams shattered by someone completely inept.

I’m a big believer in never going back. There’s no guarantee things would be the same again if Gould came back, and people have short memories...he did cost us games the season we let him go. Yes he’d been phenomenal in the past and seems to have Chicago in his heart. But He’d lost his mojo and was costing a fair whack. Letting him go at the time was the right thing to do.

It sounds like a nice story to bring him back and he kicks the OT game winner to take us to the Superbowl.

But I can’t see that happening. And the cost isn’t worth it.

Welcome!

However, this sounds like words from someone who hasn't seen the latest chapter of the Gould story. Getting cut made him reexamine his game, refocus and produce at the highest level since then. There's a very good reason why SF franchise tagged him. Further, his family has been in Chicago even after his contract was terminated. So there's every reason to believe that he'd give Pace a home town discount. You may be right that it isn't happening. But wanting Gould back isn't just sentimentality.

Even so, welcome to our board!

Bears Whiskey Nut wrote:

Mikefive wrote:

Leeds Bear wrote:I do understand people clamouring for him to come back...but it’s based purely on having had our dreams shattered by someone completely inept.

I’m a big believer in never going back. There’s no guarantee things would be the same again if Gould came back, and people have short memories...he did cost us games the season we let him go. Yes he’d been phenomenal in the past and seems to have Chicago in his heart. But He’d lost his mojo and was costing a fair whack. Letting him go at the time was the right thing to do.

It sounds like a nice story to bring him back and he kicks the OT game winner to take us to the Superbowl.

But I can’t see that happening. And the cost isn’t worth it.

Welcome!

However, this sounds like words from someone who hasn't seen the latest chapter of the Gould story. Getting cut made him reexamine his game, refocus and produce at the highest level since then. There's a very good reason why SF franchise tagged him. Further, his family has been in Chicago even after his contract was terminated. So there's every reason to believe that he'd give Pace a home town discount. You may be right that it isn't happening. But wanting Gould back isn't just sentimentality.

Even so, welcome to our board!

I'm gonna have to agree with the newbie here. There is no reason to go back to Gould, except sentimentality. If we can find a young kicker that is 90% as good as Gould is right now, we would still be ahead, because we wouldn't be committing $8M+ to a kicker. A kicker. You can't do that in today's NFL. There is so much you can do in the NFL with $3M - $4M in cap space. By signing Gould, you'd be throwing that away.

Subsequently, I believe that is the exact reason they went out and traded for Piniero. He fits the mold of what I'm talking about perfectly. But I'm confident that he has the potential to be 110% of what Gould has been.

Welcome Leeds Bear!!

Leeds Bear wrote:I do understand people clamouring for him to come back...but it’s based purely on having had our dreams shattered by someone completely inept.

I’m a big believer in never going back. There’s no guarantee things would be the same again if Gould came back, and people have short memories...he did cost us games the season we let him go. Yes he’d been phenomenal in the past and seems to have Chicago in his heart. But He’d lost his mojo and was costing a fair whack. Letting him go at the time was the right thing to do.

It sounds like a nice story to bring him back and he kicks the OT game winner to take us to the Superbowl.

But I can’t see that happening. And the cost isn’t worth it.