Bears sign kicker Kai Forbath to practice squad

The Bears have signed kicker Kai Forbath to their practice squad, NFL Trade Rumors reported on Friday. They also added linebacker Devante Bond to their practice squad injured list.

Forbath, 33, is a 10-year veteran who has played for eight teams in his NFL career. He most notably spent 2012 through 2015 as Washington’s starting kicker. He has a career field goal percentage of 86.1 and most recently spent time on the Panthers’ practice squad in September.

The Bears currently have just one active kicker, as Cairo Santos was added to the roster when Eddy Piñeiro was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury. The team worked out Forbath on Wednesday, and it appears he made enough of an impression to earn on a spot on their practice squad.

With the new CBA changes to the practice squad, teams are allowed up to six players with an unlimited number of seasons played in the NFL. The Bears have already taken advantage of this new rule, stashing quarterback Tyler Bray and adding former Pro Bowl running back Lamar Miller.

It is unknown whether Forbath will stick around when Piñeiro returns from injury, or if the addition at kicker means the injury to Piñeiro is worse than originally thought. Regardless, the Bears made a plan to stick with a kicker on both the active roster and the practice squad, and the addition of Forbath reaches that reality.