The Chicago Bears finally made a move many anticipated in regards to the placekicker position on Friday afternoon.
The #Bears have decided to release K Cody Parkey at the start of the league year, sources say. A fresh start is welcomed by both parties, and the Pro Bowler will likely find work quickly. He’s still due $3.5M guaranteed on his 2019 contract.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 22, 2019
The Bears saw their playoff hopes slip away from them with the game on the line against the Philadelphia Eagles as Parkey hit the upright and the crossbar on one unsuccessful attempt. The missed field goal crushed the team's hopes in advancing past the wild card game and many blamed Parkey for the loss. Although the game didn't come down to just one play, this wasn't Parkey's only struggling effort with the team throughout the 2018 season.
The Bears are well ahead of schedule in regards to team success as they lead the NFC North for the first time in several seasons. The one aspect of the Bears game that was their Achilles heel all season was Cody Parkey and his woeful efforts throughout the time.
Perhaps the final straw for Parkey was his appearance on “The TODAY Show,” in which he got criticized by head coach Matt Nagy. Nagy expressed that the decision to appear on the show was a “me” moment rather than a “we” moment, chalking it up to it being a selfish act.
In a division game against the Detroit Lions, Parkey hit the upright four times in a single game. Luckily Parkey's abysmal day didn't cost the Bears the game, but this should have been the first sign of troubles for the team going forward.
The Bears had the most feared defense in the league and an offense that possessed true play-making ability. It's rare that such a complete team has such a tough time on special teams, but it proved to be the team's obvious weakness.
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