There has been consistent speculation that the Chicago Bears could be looking to make a change at the kicker position. For Cairo Santos, it isn't wild to consider moving even though the kicker hit 83 percent of his field goal opportunities. This is down from the 84 percent he hit in the 2024 season or the 92 percent he hit in the 2023 season. There is a clear regression here, to go along with the fact that Santos is entering the final two years of his deal and could easily be cut, giving the Bears the chance to add a higher-leverage option.
Jake Moody was considered to be a clear possibility before ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that Moody opted to re-sign with the Washington Commanders. Still, there are options on the table for the Bears if the franchise wants to move on from Santos and look at potential upgrades. Moody signing with Chicago made sense based on his consistency and playoff experience. Now, signing is forcing the Bears to look at other potential options, leading us to Jason Sanders.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that "After the two sides could not agree on a contract, the Dolphins now are expected to release kicker Jason Sanders, per source. Sanders leaves Miami with a streak of 27 straight made field goals, and 9-of-9 on his last 50+-yard field goals."
These are obviously elite numbers that show why Sanders could be on the Bears' radar, explaining why he'd be viewed as a potential playoff weapon as the franchise pushes to control the NFC.
Bears Have Perfect Fallback Opportunity to Replace Santos in Jason Sanders
Sanders is a proven weapon from long range, making him the exact type of reliable kicker that Chicago should be looking to add to the position. Not only are you adding a star kicker, but you're also signing up for long yardage kicks that Santos can't always convert from a greater distance, with the veteran going 4/6 on his attempts from 50 yards or more. Sanders was perfect on the season from that range and leaves no question marks at the important position.
Cutting Santos after June 1 would save the team $3.2 million, according to Spotrac, while costing the team only a $560,000 dead cap hit. This makes it clear that Santos would be relatively easy to move on from, should the Bears so desire.
Chicago had a front row seat to what can happen to a team in the playoffs when your kicker isn't reliable. The Packers collapsed against the Bears in the playoff matchup, with a large chunk of the blame resting on McManus's shoulders, as he missed three kicks that likely would've pushed the game out of Chicago's reach.
This isn't to say Santos is on the verge of a collapse, but rather, when you have a chance to add an obvious upgrade, there should at least be a level of interest. Sanders can be locked up long-term, eliminating future question marks, while also offering you an improvement in the here and now. It is a needed offseason win that the franchise should consider as we continue to move deeper into the 2026 offseason.