Edinger kicking for a chance to get back in the league

INDIANAPOLIS–He pulls a business card out of his bag and hands it to you.

It reads “Paul Edinger IV, Professional Kicking Specialist,” and the former Bears kicker has been working it in hotel lobbies at the scouting combine.

Edinger hasn’t kicked in the NFL since 2005 with the Minnesota Vikings, although he’s had a handful of tryouts, and he’s doing his best to get a shot to get back in the league. Saturday afternoon he was looking for some representatives from the Washington Redskins, hopeful of encountering defensive coordinator Greg Blache. He’d tracked down Todd Haley, the former Bears wide receivers coach, about a chance in Kansas City. He just wants an opportunity to revive his career.

“I’m trying to get back in the league,” said Edinger, who had some brief stints with the Rush in the Arena League, an avenue that’s no longer there for him with the league no longer operating.

The Bears’ sixth-round pick from Michigan State in 2000, Edinger is third in franchise history behind Robbie Gould and Jeff Jaeger in field-goal accuracy at 75.3 percent (minimum 25 attempts). He scored a career-high 112 points in 2001. After living for a while in Costa Rica, he’s now back in Florida and has maintained a workout program with hopes of catching on again at age 31.

The Bears released him in the spring of 2005 after signing veteran Doug Brien as competition. When Brien injured his back early in the season, Gould won a tryout and has since become the best kicker the organization has ever had.