Could Cairo Santos‘ limited leg cost him his job?
Fans and analysts alike think the Chicago Bears should reconsider their situation at kicker after the team’s most recent defeat at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks shone a glaring light on his limitations.
Trailing 6-3 with approximately 20 seconds left in the game, Chicago had the ball with fourth-and-10 to go at Seattle’s 40-yard line. Opting against a 57-yard field goal attempt that could have tied the game, interim head coach Thomas Brown chose to keep the offense on the field. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams wound up throwing an interception, which sealed the Bears’ fate.
Santos, who has a career-long field goal of 55 yards, has been accurate and reliable from 45 yards in. Beyond that, though, he’s been less consistent.
“If Cairo Santos doesn’t have the leg for a 57-yard field goal, he shouldn’t be your kicker,” Jacob Infante of Windy City Gridiron wrote on X. He wasn’t the only one to express that sentiment.
Should Bears Cut Kicker Cairo Santos?
Throughout his tenure with the Bears, there’s no question Santos’ leg has been solid. He set the franchise record for single-season field goal percentage by making 93.8% of his attempts (30-of-32) in 2020.
He also set a Bears record for consecutive field goals made, with 27 in 2020, a feat he matched again in 2021. But in today’s NFL, having a big leg is more essential than ever. As of Week 17, 17 different kickers have booted a field goal of 57 yards or longer this season. Santos’ longest this year is from 54 yards out. The fact the team wouldn’t even let him try it is pretty damning, and it could have cost them the game against the Seahawks.
“If your kicker can’t even attempt a 57 yard FG to tie the game, you need a new kicker,” Johnathan Wood of Da Bears Blog noted, adding: “Bears have a lot of problems to address this off-season, and K is one of them. Save over $2M if they cut Santos.”
“I cannot believe the Bears employ a kicker in 2024 whom they do not trust to try a 57 yarder over 4th and 10. That’s inconceivably bad,” ESPN’s Ben Solak added.
Considering Santos was hitting the crossbar from 57 yards out during pregame warmups vs. Seattle, it’s reasonable to wonder if the Bears should look for a new kicker next year.
A Look at Santos’ Numbers This Season
In December of 2023, Santos seemingly solidified his place with the team by signing a four-year extension for just under $16 million through 2027. But the Bears are about to get a new head coach, and with big-leg kickers currently all the rage, his future may not be so secure after all.
It also won’t help his case that his numbers are the lowest they’ve been since he re-signed with Chicago in 2020.
Check out his 2024 stats below:
- Field Goals Made: 20
- Field Goals Attempted: 24
- Field Goal Percentage: 83.3%
- Longest Field Goal: 54 yards
- Extra Points Made: 22
- Extra Points Attempted: 23
- Extra Point Percentage: 95.7%
- Total Points: 82
Santos’ 83.3% field goal percentage this season is the lowest of his current tenure with the team. Over his entire time in Chicago (including 2017), he has gone 20-for-27 on kicks of 50+ yards (74%). If the Bears truly want to compete, finding a guy with a better range wouldn’t be a bad idea.
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