Getty Kickers Eddy Pineiro #15 of the Chicago Bears and Elliott Fry #8 sitting on the bench.
The Chicago Bears finally have an end to their kicking competition. Sort of. The team waived kicker Elliott Fry this weekend. Coach Matt Nagy said that the Bears have decided to move on with Eddy Piñeiro as their only kicker:
#Bears roster move:
We have waived K Elliott Fry.
When asked when the Bears released Fry now instead of after the remaining two games of preseason, Nagy said the team released him so they could give sole remaining kicker Eddy Piñeiro more reps an increased opportunity “to see what he can do.”
Bears have released kicker Elliott Fry per HC Matt Nagy. They are riding now with Eddy Pineiro giving him more volume of attempts and a “great opportunity for him to see what he can do,” said Nagy. @WBBMNewsradio
Piñeiro is excited about the opportunity, and said he’s looking forward to getting these increased reps, noting he feels as though they can only make him better.
Is Eddy Piñeiro Their Kicker Moving Forward?
GettyChicago Bears Kicker Eddy Pineiro. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
Nagy said that while the competition between Fry and Piñeiro was over, the Bears kicking competition is not, noting that the team wanted to have the best possible player at the position, suggesting they would still have their eye on other kickers who are performing well throughout the league.
When asked if Piñeiro was going to be the team’s starting kicker against Green Bay week one, Nagy said that’s what he wanted and that was the mentality he wanted his players to have: a competitive edge and endless belief in themselves. But he wouldn’t commit to a definite ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer regarding whether or not Piñeiro was their guy going into the future. Piñeiro might not ultimately be the guy–but he’s the team’s starting kicker–for now.
The Kicking Competition is Far From Over
While seemingly excited about beating Fry out and moving on in the competition, Piñeiro also noted that he knew his work was still very much cut out for him:
“They’ve got us on thin ice here,” said kicker Eddy Pineiro after he won the competition with Elliott Fry, but not the job just yet. “If I don’t make kicks I’m going to be gone, like anyone else,” He does feel getting all the reps now will help his consistency. @WBBMNewsradio
Clearly, Piñeiro isn’t resting on his laurels. “I feel like I haven’t won the competition,” Piñeiro said explaining how he felt about Fry being waived. He also noted that beating Fry out was a definite confidence booster, and wished his friend and former competitor well in the future.
When asked how he felt about kicking in Chicago and dealing with the elements and harsh winter weather, Piñeiro didn’t seem fazed, noting: “We’re professional athletes, we have to adjust.” Piñeiro recently publicly said that he found the competition to be stressful and taxing, so perhaps not having such direct competition could be good for his confidence and overall performance.
What Made Piñeiro Stand Out?
While it appeared as though both Fry and Piñeiro were even after the Bears second preseason game against the Giants Friday night, that apparently wasn’t the case. When asked why the team chose Piñeiro over Fry, Nagy noted that they “felt good” about Piñeiro:
Matt Nagy on Eddy Pineiro: “For right now, we feel good with where he’s at.”
Nagy said the competition between Pineiro and Fry is over, but says that they’ll keep their options open at kicker, like any position.
Both Fry and Piñeiro had missed one kick each during the preseason, and some thought Fry was the current frontrunner, so the team’s waiving Fry this soon in the competition suggests that the team has seen enough from Piñeiro to feel confident with him moving forward. Piñeiro is said to have the bigger leg of the two, and while he has never played in an NFL game, he has a certain swagger that suggests he may be just fine. The Bears hope so, at least.
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