The Chicago Bears made a surprising move today by releasing longtime kicker Robbie Gould.
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The majority of his career, and success, have come with the Bucs, where he now sits at third all-time in made field goals (114), PATs (135), and points (447) and holds franchise records for highest field goal percentage (83.3%) and consecutive field goals made (25). He converted on five of his six field goal attempts, but missed two extra-point tries in the preseason finale.
The team has not announced an official replacement as of yet, but the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs is reporting that the team is expected to sign kicker Connor Barth, who spent the preseason with the New Orleans Saints before missing their 53-man roster.
Gould had a rough patch last season after starting on a tear by making his first 15 field-goal attempts. He was – is – one of the greatest kickers of all-time, ranking ninth in career field-goal percentage.
Gould was scheduled to earn a $3 million base salary in 2016, part of the lucrative four-year extension he signed in 2013. Gould missed a 36-yarder wide left as regulation time expired in a 26-20 overtime loss to the 49ers at Soldier Field on December 20.
Are you surprised by the Chicago Bears’ decision to release Robbie Gould? Veteran Doug Brien was out with a bad back.
This summer, the Bears did not have another kicker in camp to compete with Gould. Everywhere else, including PAT%, Barth edges out Gould. He was cut by the Patriots, then by the Baltimore Ravens as well before winning that Bears kicking competition in October 2005 to replace Brien.
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He was Chicago’s longest-tenured player, and its all-time leading scorer.
