Chicago Bears: 6 kickers to keep an eye on in preseason

2. Sam Ficken

If the Bears miss out on Joey Slye, then turning to their archrivals is another option the team has. Currently, the Green Bay Packers have two kickers on the roster: Veteran Mason Crosby and 26-year old Sam Ficken.

Ficken is interesting for multiple reasons. After going undrafted in 2015, he’s bounced around the NFL and has been with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, and Seattle Seahawks. He hasn’t yet found a permanent home in the NFL and his latest stint with the Packers is essentially a make-or-break situation for his NFL career.

The Packers claimed Ficken off waivers earlier this offseason in order to bring in some competition for veteran Mason Crosby. So far in camp, it’s hard to tell who has the upper hand. At this point, the Packers are likely more content with having Mason Crosby be the kicker for one more year.

The biggest challenge that Ficken presents is a lack of in-game experience. The last true kick that he attempted in the NFL was in 2017 which was just under 40 yards. He’s never successfully hit a field goal from beyond 40 yards which is clearly a problem.

As of right now, Ficken is a name that the Bears could consider as a last resort. There are clearly other kickers out there that are more intriguing, however, if the Bears see something in Ficken that they like, then they should consider him.