Hours after signing Tuesday, Cairo Santos became the first Bears player to actually kick field goals in a padded practice during training camp. Afterward, Bears coach Matt Nagy said the Bears will keep two kickers throughout the season as insurance against a coronavirus outbreak.
Both Santos and Eddy Pineiro, the nominal starter, are eligible for the practice squad this year. Pineiro still has not kicked while he nurses a slight groin injury.
“Cairo is here because of the plan that we had all along, which is to have a backup kicker,” Nagy said. “And then if something does happen to Eddy, we feel very good with Cairo.