Bears could be getting closer to adding a kicker

The Bears may have Cody Parkey's replacement - or maybe just competition for the beleaguered kicker.

Free agent Redford Jones will sign with the Bears, according to a Twitter report from his agency, EnterSports Management.

Jones was one of six kickers, including veterans Blair Walsh and Nick Folk, who were at Halas Hall Friday for a tryout, according to ESPN. At Tulsa, Jones made 50 of 67 FG attempts (74.6 percent) from 2015 to 2017 and 169 of 172 extra points.

Parkey, whose $3.5 million salary for next season is guaranteed, connected on 23 of 30 FG attempts (76.7 percent) during the regular season. Only five teams had a lower FG percentage than the Bears. He also a missed what would have been a game-winning 43-yard field goal in the final seconds of the 16-15 wild-card playoff loss to the Eagles. Parkey missed three of 45 extra-point attempts.

Since six of Parkey's missed kicks - four field goals and two extra points - hit the uprights, he wasn't that far from having a decent season. His longest FG of the season was 50 yards, and no team had a shorter kick as their longest FG.

"That position is an emphasis for us," General Manager Ryan Pace said last week. "We understand we need to get more production out of that position. Matt (Nagy) talks about it all the time: 'There's so much parity in our league, so many close games, the kicker position is critical.' We know we need to get better there, and it'll be an area of focus. There'll definitely be competition there."