It’s Time for the Bears to Make This One Move

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.