Bears Sign Veteran Jaeger
The Chicago Bears re-signed veteran kicker Jeff Jaeger, just two days after they released him.
Rookie Brian Gowins, already cut once by the Bears this season, was waived again. He could be re-signed to the practice squad when he clears waivers.
"We're going to go the same way we did a week ago," coach Dick Jauron said. "So Jeff will be back. He's going to kick periodically through the week and we'll see how he goes. Brian will kick through the week and we'll make a decision later."
The Bears also are bringing in former Auburn kicker Jaret Holmes on Tuesday for a workout. Holmes was waived by Buffalo last month.
The shuffle is because of Jaeger's hip injury, which caused him to miss nearly all of training camp. Jaeger, one of only six kickers to connect on at least 80 percent of his field-goal attempts the past three seasons, injured his left hip the first full week of training camp and missed the next three weeks.
He was supposed to return for the Bears' third preseason game against St. Louis, but reinjured the hip in pregame warmups.
"It's a situation where if something works out, we'll see what happens," said Jaeger, who made 61-of-75 field goals and led the Bears in scoring the past three years. "I can't say for certain that in two weeks or three weeks I'll be 100 percent. Once I start kicking, the healing will slow down."
"I can function and be able to kick, but I won't be 100 percent."
Gowins, who kicked on Northwestern's Rose Bowl team, was signed when Jaeger reinjured the hip. He was cut, re-signed to the practice squad and moved to the active roster Saturday. He kicked two extra points and field goals of 21 and 24 yards Sunday in the Bears' 20-17 victory over Kansas City.
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