Getty Head coach Matt Eberflus of the Chicago Bears reacts to a play during a game against the Houston Texans in September 2022.
Often when it rains in Chicago, it pours. The same appears true for the Chicago Bears, who entered 2023 with the top pick in the draft and leading the NFL in cap space.
Now long-time Bears kicker and former All-Pro Robbie Gould has expressed publicly his desire to return to Chicago and join a franchise on the rise.
“For sure, if they called and said, ‘Hey, we want you to play for us,’ I’d do it in a heartbeat,” Gould told NFL.com on Thursday, April 20, from the PGA Tour Champions Invited Celebrity Classic in Irving, Texas.
It was not the first time this offseason that Gould has spoken openly about potentially returning to the franchise that gave him his first shot in the NFL. The kicker appeared on ESPN 1000’s Waddle & Silvy Show on March 24 and was asked what his answer would be if Bears general manager Ryan Poles picked up the phone and inquired about Gould’s availability.
“If Chicago called me and said, ‘We want you back,’ would I do it?” Gould said. “Absolutely.”
Robbie Gould Among Best NFL Kickers of All-Time
GettyKicker Robbie Gould, formerly of the Chicago Bears, celebrates after making a game-winning field goal against the Green Bay Packers in September 2010.
Gould is one of the best kickers in football history and there really is no argument to the contrary. The 18-year veteran entered the league in 2005 and has spent nearly half of his life on an NFL roster.
Gould, who will undertake his 19th professional campaign in 2023 at the age of 40, spent the first 11 years of his career in Chicago before a one-year stint with the New York Giants in 2016. Gould landed with the San Francisco 49ers the following season, where he remained through the end of last year.
On two separate occasions Gould has led the league in field goals made (2006, 2017). He also led the NFL in field goal percentage in 2018. Over the course of his career, Gould has connected on 620-0f-636 extra point attempts (97.5%) and made 447-of-517 field goal attempts (86.5%). He has made 36-of-51 field goal tries (70.6%) from 50 or more yards, per Pro Football Reference.
Gould’s interest in rejoining the Bears at this late stage of his career is indicative of the positive direction in which Poles has steered the franchise, as Gould noted to NFL.com last week that he is interested in joining a winner.
“Obviously I want to play closer to home. That’s one of the big things that’s meant a lot to me, and we’re filtering through those opportunities and waiting for the right time to be able to do that,” Gould said. “I’d love to win if possible, so I’m kind of being a little picky with that. But at 40 years old and playing 18 years in the league, I think I’ve earned the ability to do that.”
Robbie Gould May Replace Cairo Santos, as Bears Clear Salary Cap Space
GettyKicker Cairo Santos (right) of the Chicago Bears celebrates a field goal with offensive lineman Lucas Patrick (left) during a game against the Houston Texans at Soldier Field in September 2022.
For Gould to land in Chicago, the Bears will need to move on from current kicker Cairo Santos.
Santos has been with the team for the previous three seasons and remains under contract through 2023. He signed a three-year deal worth $9 million in 2021 and carries a salary cap hit this upcoming season of $4.5 million.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report on April 18 listed Santos among his five biggest names who may still get cut this offseason.
“Santos has been generally reliable for the Bears since signing with the club in 2020, but his 2022 performance left a lot to be desired,” Kay wrote. “The 31-year-old missed on five of his 32 extra point tries, an especially concerning showing given he’s missed one or fewer in each of his seven prior campaigns.”
Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus also designated Santos as a cut candidate for the Bears back on February 14, noting that his release represents $3 million in potential salary cap savings for Chicago.
“Santos missed five extra points and two field goals in 2022, earning him a 48.5 kicking grade that ranked dead last among 34 kickers with at least 10 attempts,” Spielberger wrote. “Furthermore, while Santos has been quite accurate and consistent as a Bear, his range at this point is effectively 53 or so yards, with a handful of kickers across the NFL hitting from 10 yards beyond that.”
Both Kay and Spielberger suggested that Chicago look younger at the position, which may be what the team decides to do. However, if Gould is willing to play year to year then he remains a viable option, particularly if the Bears don’t find another kicker this offseason that they like as a long-term solution.
Gould earned $7.25 million over his most recent two-year contract with the 49ers.
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