When NFL free company opened in March, many of the prime free brokers have been scooped up fairly rapidly, however that is not the case at kicker. After simply over one month of free company, there are nonetheless a number of good kickers left available on the market, together with Robbie Gould, who at present stands because the eighth-most correct kicker in NFL historical past.
One cause Gould remains to be accessible is as a result of he is being choosy about his subsequent staff. After spending the previous six seasons in San Francisco, Gould let the 49ers know that he was going to check free company this 12 months. One staff Gould would positively be inquisitive about taking part in for is the Chicago Bears.
The 40-year-old spent the primary 11 seasons of his profession in Chicago earlier than being unceremoniously dumped following the 2015 season. Gould nonetheless lives in Chicago and if the Bears are inquisitive about reuniting with him, the kicker mentioned he’d return to the staff in a “heartbeat.”
“If they referred to as and mentioned, ‘Hey, we would like you to play for us,’ I’d do it in a heartbeat,” Gould mentioned this week throughout an interview with NFL.com.
Although Gould has made it fairly clear that he’d like to signal with the Bears, the sensation would not seem like mutual. If the Bears have not referred to as him but — and it seems they have not — that is seemingly as a result of they’re proud of their present kicking scenario.
For the previous three seasons Cairo Santos has been holding down the Bears’ kicking job and over that span he is hit 90.6% of his subject objectives (77 of 85). In 2022, Santos went 21 of 23 and it is arduous accountable both of these two misses on him: One was blocked and one was from 56 yards out.
Chicago had one of many worst kicking conditions within the NFL from 2016 by means of 2019, however with Santos within the fold, the Bears lastly have somebody they’ll depend on once more and it seems they do not wish to take any possibilities by transferring on from him.
With Chicago seemingly out of the image, Gould mentioned he’ll be searching for two issues in a possible staff for 2023: He needs to play close to his Chicago residence and he needs to play for a winner.
“Obviously I wish to play nearer to residence, that is one of many huge issues that is meant loads to me, and we’re filtering by means of these alternatives, and ready for the fitting time to have the ability to do this,” Gould mentioned. “I’d like to win if doable, so I’m sort of being a bit of choosy with that, however at 40 years previous and taking part in 18 years within the league, I feel I’ve earned the flexibility to do this.”
Gould has additionally earned the fitting to be choosy as a result of he is top-of-the-line postseason kickers in NFL historical past. From an accuracy standpoint, there is no one higher. Gould has tried 29 postseason subject objectives in his profession and he is made all 29 of them, which is the NFL report for many playoff subject objectives with no miss. To put that in perspective, solely 4 kickers in NFL historical past, together with Gould, have even made 15 playoff subject objectives with no miss (Evan McPherson, Chris Boswell and Jake Elliott are the others).
There’s a great probability that Gould will get so as to add to that streak in 2023 and that is as a result of he needs to play for a contender.
“Well first, I wish to win a Super Bowl, clearly which means loads to me,” Gould mentioned of why he nonetheless needs to maintain taking part in after 18 seasons. “And secondly, it comes all the way down to wanting to have the ability to rating 2,000 factors, possibly hit 500 subject objectives, and in the end simply win.”
There are a number of groups that may seemingly be wanting so as to add kicker within the subsequent month, together with the Cowboys, Rams, Packers, Titans and Buccaneers. If Gould needs to play for a contender, the Cowboys in all probability take advantage of sense and that is additionally the staff that ought to be banging down Gould’s door to signal him. Remember, the final time we noticed the Cowboys on the sphere, their kicker (Brett Maher) was going by means of one of many worst meltdowns in NFL postseason historical past. He went simply 1-for-6 on further factors within the playoffs, together with a span the place he missed 4 straight within the wild card spherical.
Although the Cowboys and a number of other different groups nonetheless want a kicker, they’re going to seemingly see what they’ll do in the course of the draft earlier than they give the impression of being to signal Gould, which suggests the eighth-most correct kicker in NFL historical past will seemingly stay a free agent into May.
