Eddy Pineiro finished 2019 strong with 11-straight made kicks. It came at the end of a rather ugly stretch where he dealt with a number of issues from missed field goals to a pinched nerve in his knee. The guy never seemed able to catch a break. Just when it seemed like things were finally starting to click, something would happen to set him back.
That trend has unfortunately continued into 2020. Pineiro seemed fine throughout the offseason. He reportedly put on some good weight and was constantly working on his kicking consistency. Nothing seemed amiss when training camp started. That is until people began to notice the kicker was invisible from most practices.
Things got even weirder when the Bears signed veteran kicker Cairo Santos. As it turns out, they had a reason for it according to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune.
“Cairo Santos is signing on for a second tour of duty with the Chicago Bears. The veteran kicker, who spent two games with the organization in 2017, is expected to finalize a contract Monday — as long as he passes through COVID-19 protocols.
The news of the Santos acquisition, originally reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, came as a surprise Saturday. As it turns out, kicker Eddy Pineiro is dealing with a groin issue that the Bears will be keeping a close eye on. During Saturday’s controlled scrimmage in Lake Forest, Pineiro did not attempt a field goal, an extra point or a kickoff.”
Eddy Pineiro is far from secure in his spot with this team
Let’s make this clear. Santos is not a potential replacement for Pineiro. He’s an emergency option the team will use until the guy is back from the injury. That being said, Pineiro better be careful. His position on this roster is anything but solid. His 2019 season was average and he’s starting to earn a bit of a reputation for health problems. Not ideal.
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Ryan Pace said the best ability is availability in this league. That doesn’t just go for offensive and defensive guys. The Bears want to know if they can count on Pineiro to do two things. Be there on game days and make the kicks when they need to be made. So far he’s proven inconsistent in both categories.