Cairo Santos has been reliable for the last few years, but Sunday’s miss against the Ravens was the latest sign that his leg just isn’t NFL caliber. The 58-yard attempt wasn’t wide or shanked — it was simply just short. In a league where kickers are regularly drilling 60-plus yarders, the Bears can’t afford to trot out a kicker who can’t even threaten from that distance. Santos has been dependable inside 50 yards, but the modern NFL demands more than accuracy on chip shots. You need a weapon — and right now, Santos isn’t one. He never will be.

Enter Jake Moody. The former 49er has the kind of leg strength that gives coaches flexibility and can score from distance. Whether it’s a 60-yarder at the half or a booming kickoffs out of the end zone if needed, Moody brings a physical skill set Santos simply doesn’t have. Sure, he’s still developing consistency, but that’s the point — there’s upside to work with. He also has proved he can be reliable since arriving in Chicago. Ben Johnson mentioned Moody might have just needed a change in scenery.

The Bears are a team trying to win now and every roster spot should reflect that mindset. Santos’s ceiling has already been reached, and Sunday’s miss made it painfully obvious. Moody, on the other hand, has the potential to be a long-term answer — a kicker with both power and perhaps even accuracy.

It’s time for the Bears to make the switch. The days of settling for “good enough” at kicker should end now. Give Moody the job, and let the kid show what he can do.

The Chicago Bears have remained loyal to Cairo Santos for a long time. He has earned it in many ways. His steady accuracy has gotten them through some tough moments in recent years. However, there has always been an undercurrent of frustration surrounding the veteran kicker. It has to do with his distance. Time has shown that Santos has a limited range, almost never connecting on kicks of 55 yards or more. In today’s NFL, with kickers now routinely topping 60 yards, that is a significant issue for the Bears.

Sunday was the latest example. He had a chance to pull the Bears within one when they trailed 10-6 in the 2nd quarter. They sent him out for a 58-yard attempt. Conditions were perfect. No rain. No wind. The kick still came up short. From there, Baltimore seemed to gain momentum and never let Chicago back into the game. That miss came after fans had watched Jake Moody showcase considerable leg strength in the two previous games. It has led to the question that many can’t help but ask.

Why are the Bears continuing to hamstring themselves?

The Chicago Bears cannot continue this much longer.

Kicking has entered a new era. It shouldn’t be difficult to find somebody who can regularly connect between 55 and 60 anymore. Santos’ accuracy is nice, but it’s no longer enough. The Chicago Bears need somebody who doesn’t require getting drives to the 35-yard line every week. It makes life so much more difficult for a young offense. Head coach Ben Johnson has said Santos is the kicker. There is no controversy. Could that change after watching another long attempt come so feebly short?

It probably should. Santos is a good player and has been a reliable presence in Chicago after the Cody Parkey fiasco. Still, there comes a time when you have to think about trying to get better. The Bears are reaching that crossroads with him.

Watching the Chicago Bears’ loss on Sunday in Baltimore was discouraging, mainly because it felt so familiar. It was a game where they needed their quarterback to step up, as the run game and defense were struggling. Caleb Williams had opportunities. It’s not like he was under siege by the Ravens’ pass rush. Yet he still only completed 65% of his passes with no touchdowns and a backbreaking 4th quarter interception. What was most alarming about it was how disjointed he again looked in the offense, reverting too often to his old tendencies of holding the ball and looking for big plays.

It was frustrating to watch him not play with more patience. He wasn’t taking what the defense gave him enough, and it was costing them points. This brought back something mentioned by quarterback trainer Tim Jenkins a few months ago. He stated on Hoge & Jahns that he had concerns about whether Williams and Johnson would mesh well in terms of their personalities. There were similar vibes with Sean Payton and Russell Wilson in Denver. On paper, it should’ve worked, but Wilson’s playing style and demeanor didn’t fit Payton’s desired way of offense.

As we all know, that relationship fell apart. If Williams doesn’t get with the program, the same fate may await him with Johnson.

Caleb Williams is not holding up his end of the bargain.

Johnson said from the outset, one of his goals for 2025 was for the quarterback to target a 70% completion percentage. The best quarterbacks in the NFL generally hover around that number. Caleb Williams finished at 62.5% last season. Before the Ravens game, he was at 61.1%. That speaks to a quarterback who struggles with efficiency. He doesn’t always throw accurate passes or make the right decisions. This is why the Bears’ offense often struggles to find any rhythm.

Now it is unlikely Johnson has made any decision on Williams’ future. The Bears have played seven games and are 4-3. The young quarterback is responsible in many ways for that. Patience is required. Johnson understands he must let things play out. There are ten games left. A lot can happen in that time. The key is continuing to work with Williams, refining his approach, and pushing for greater efficiency. With time, things should start ironing out. The question is whether Johnson’s patience runs out before that.

The Chicago Bears had a golden opportunity to move to 5-2 on Sunday against a Lamar Jackson–less Baltimore Ravens team. Instead, they delivered one of their worst performances of the season. The offense looked flat, uninspired, and out of sync most of the game.

Losing a game like this perfectly sums up what it’s like being a Bears fan — constant hope met with brutal disappointment. The biggest question of the season still hasn’t been answered: Is Caleb Williams the franchise quarterback Chicago’s been waiting for?

There are signs that Ben Johnson’s patience is wearing thin. His body language on the sideline said it all — visible frustration after missed throws, stalled drives, and wasted opportunities. Johnson isn’t blameless, though. His play-calling was questionable at times on Sunday, and he completely abandoned the run game through the first half and much of the third quarter.

Still, Caleb Williams has to be better. It’s time to have an honest conversation about his play — and what this means for the Bears’ future. Is he a bust? No. But he’s also not playing like a No. 1 overall pick should.

After the game, both Johnson and Williams were asked about the fourth-quarter interception.

Johnson said:

“Yeah, I didn’t quite see. I’d have to check it out on film just one more time. In my mind, there might have been another option we could’ve gotten to.”

Those are the kinds of moments that likely drive Johnson crazy. If anyone can help Caleb figure this out, it’s him. But even during their recent four-game winning streak, questions about Williams’ consistency were bubbling beneath the surface.

This loss alone doesn’t define anything, but former NFL scout John Middlekauff summed it up perfectly:

“Ben Johnson became a star with a QB who had great timing and touch. Caleb currently has neither. Just don’t see this ever working.”

Williams is talented — there’s no denying that — but his pairing with Johnson hasn’t clicked yet. Sure, it’s only been seven games, but the NFL moves fast… and moves on even faster. Time will tell.

Patience is hard to come by these days with quarterbacks. It’s always essential to maintain the big picture. The Chicago Bears knew Caleb Williams had the talent to become a star. However, it was clear he needed work. Despite his natural ability, he lacked the necessary fundamentals and mental processing that most great NFL quarterbacks possess. It would take time to determine if he could learn how. That is why the Bears brought in Ben Johnson as the new head coach. If anybody could find out what Williams is capable of, it’s him.

Early returns were promising. He threw for seven touchdowns and just one interception in his first three games. Signs were there that he was seeing the field well. Since then? It hasn’t gotten better. Williams seems to have regressed each week. He has just two touchdowns to three interceptions and has completed less than 60% of his passes. The ugly showing in Baltimore against what had been one of the league’s worst defenses raised serious red flags. Williams looked too much like the player he was last year: jittery, erratic, and not composed. With the halfway point of the season at hand, it is nearing that time to ask the uncomfortable question.

Is this who Williams is?

The Bears must stick with Caleb Williams the rest of the year.

There is no denying his struggles. It’s there on paper and on film. Only those in the locker room know what is going on. Still, this team can’t afford to let a bad stretch deviate from their plans. Their primary goal this season, aside from winning games, was finding out more about Caleb Williams as a quarterback. To know for sure, he must play the full season, regardless of what happens. The Bears will then have (hopefully) 17 games to evaluate. If they feel he’s learning, then they can move forward.

If not? Well, you can pretty much guess what happens next. It isn’t a comfortable conversation for fans after so many years of watching quarterback after quarterback come and go. They don’t want to do this again. It isn’t up to them. It is up to Williams. If he believes he can truly be the guy, then he must seize control of this offense. The longer it doesn’t happen, the worse it will look.

Kyler Gordon missed the first four games of the 2025 season. Now he is about to miss at least another four as the Chicago Bears placed him on Injured Reserve with groin and calf issues. There is plenty of time to discuss what this means for his future on the team, given he will have missed at least 17 games before this season is even over, but there are more pressing concerns. Chief among them is figuring out how to replace him. Chicago already didn’t have Jaylon Johnson due to core surgery. Now Tyrique Stevenson is out as well. While he should be back sooner rather than later, the Bears have no clear option for their nickel corner spot.

Their best options are either Nick McCloud or Josh Blackwell. Not ideal.

This is where timing could be everything. It so happens that one of the better nickel corners in the league a couple of years ago might be getting ready to hit the market. Asante Samuel Jr. was a rising star in Los Angeles before he was forced to undergo spinal fusion surgery. Expectations are that he would undergo a CT scan this month. If everything checked out, he would be free to sign with a team. The Bears have every reason to make a strong push for his services.

Samuel Jr. could be a perfect Kyler Gordon replacement if healthy.

He hasn’t played football since September of last year, but there is no question that he has ability. Through his first three seasons, Samuel had six interceptions and 35 passes defended. This doesn’t include three interceptions and six passes defended in his only playoff appearance. Dennis Allen would have no problem utilizing someone with his skill set. Yes, the health situation is a concern. Even so, it’s not like the Bears are in a position to be choosy. It’s either take a gamble on Samuel or ride with McCloud. The decision isn’t a difficult one.

Their only other option would be the trade market, and that would be more expensive. The Bears would have to give up draft capital, whereas Samuel only incurs a financial cost. If it doesn’t work out, they can let him walk after the season. You probably won’t find a more worthwhile risk to replace Kyler Gordon this time of year.