Released in '16, back in '19? // Robbie Gould talk

[MoFugger]

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 1m1 minute ago
Bears have informed Pro Bowl kicker Robbie Gould that he is being released, league source tells ESPN.

[RING4CHI]

John Mullin confirms.

[DaDitka]

Adam SchefterVerified account
‏@AdamSchefter
Bears have informed Pro Bowl kicker Robbie Gould that he is being released, league source tells ESPN.

[dapianna]

Damn... Even though he struggled, I had faith in him this season. I was definitely not expecting him to be released before the season even started...

[jasfirstroundbust]

Who kicks now?

[MoFugger]

Who kicks now?

Nobody. Only losers kick!

[Otis Day]

I am shocked. I was expecting a turnaround this year. Head scratcher since they had no one else in TC.

[RING4CHI]

My guess is Bears re-sign Gould this week to a much lesser contract.

[UOK]

Weird. Want to wait for the whole picture though.

[Rakshir]

Why would they take a chance on loosing him, just to save some money against the cap that we don't need.

[Pagan]

That is strange news.

[RING4CHI]

Why would they take a chance on loosing him, just to save some money against the cap that we don't need.

After missing some crucial kicks the past couple years, it's a chance the Bears are willing to take to get younger and less expensive at the position.

[RING4CHI]

That is strange news.

Sure is. Much like when Kevin Butler was abruptly cut in 1996. Hopefully this doesn't tailspin the Bears into 10 years of mediocre kicking.

[docc]

Wow...didn't see that coming at all... A week before the season ? No kicker ?

[Moriarty]

My guess is Bears re-sign Gould this week to a much lesser contract.

I dunno.
This whole "he had a terrible year" thing is a myth.
Career avg: 85%
2015: 85%

Yeah, he's old and it's time to start thinking replacement...but is there anyone at this point?
Gould, meanwhile, is still really effective, and I'm skeptical that there isn't a single team out there that couldn't use a kicker upgrade for 1-2 yrs.

[docc]

So...who is our kicker...?
I didn't think of any "depth"..

[Moriarty]

I wonder where they are capwise, and if they have to trim salary to get Sitton in.

[RING4CHI]

My guess is Bears re-sign Gould this week to a much lesser contract.

I dunno.
This whole "he had a terrible year" thing is a myth.
Career avg: 85%
2015: 85%

Yeah, he's old and it's time to start thinking replacement...but is there anyone at this point?
Gould, meanwhile, is still really effective, and I'm skeptical that there isn't a single team out there that couldn't use a kicker upgrade for 1-2 yrs.

Oh he'll kick somewhere the next couple years like Butler did for the Cardinals.

But let me dispel your myth that 2015 wasn't a terrible year. One miss came in a 3-point loss to Minnesota. Two misses came in a 6-point loss to San Fran. Another miss came in a 3-point loss to Washington.

85% kicking is good, borderline great. The timing of his misses were terrible.

[docc]

Still odd to release Gould...get Sitton..and then look for a waiver wire or rookie FA kicker ?

[DaDitka]

I wonder where they are capwise, and if they have to trim salary to get Sitton in.

We have 22 mill in cap space according to OTC...the 5th most in the league

[MoFugger]

Still odd to release Gould...get Sitton..and then look for a waiver wire or rookie FA kicker ?

Yeah. After 20 months I have to say, this staff is one of the most baffling I can recall.

[Moriarty]

My guess is Bears re-sign Gould this week to a much lesser contract.

I dunno.
This whole "he had a terrible year" thing is a myth.
Career avg: 85%
2015: 85%

Yeah, he's old and it's time to start thinking replacement...but is there anyone at this point?
Gould, meanwhile, is still really effective, and I'm skeptical that there isn't a single team out there that couldn't use a kicker upgrade for 1-2 yrs.

Oh he'll kick somewhere the next couple years like Butler did for the Cardinals.

But let me dispel your myth that 2015 wasn't a terrible year. One miss came in a 3-point loss to Minnesota. Two misses came in a 6-point loss to San Fran. Another miss came in a 3-point loss to Washington.

85% kicking is good, borderline great. The timing of his misses were terrible.

Sure, they hurt, and that's where the myth came from.

But that's what happens when you have a team that's in close games every week.
It's not a reflection on him, it's a reflection on what kind of circumstance the team kept creating.
He hit at the same pace as always.

[Moriarty]

I wonder where they are capwise, and if they have to trim salary to get Sitton in.

We have 22 mill in cap space according to OTC...the 5th most in the league

Yeah, Spotrac has it even higher
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/chicago-bears/cap/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
which totally blows my mind.

[docc]

Gould was the second-highest paid kicker in the NFL, and will cost the Bears $1.1 million in dead cap space when they make his release official.

The Bears do not have another kicker on the roster, leaving a question mark at the position as they gear up to face the Texans in Houston on Sunday.

NBC

[MoFugger]

Aaron Leming ‏@AaronLemingNFL 7m7 minutes ago
#Bears have plenty of space for Sitton but if you're going to pay two G's top money, having a high paid K that is regressing isn't smart.

[docc]

Can Sitton kick ?

[MoFugger]

Can Sitton kick ?

He can, and he will also scratch your eyes out.

[docc]

[DaDitka]

Brad Biggs ‏@BradBiggs 8m8 minutes ago
Robbie Gould had a base salary of $3 million this season. But #Bears are flush with cap space and I tend to doubt money was primary factor.

[RING4CHI]

Connor Barth is your mystery kicker per Biggs.