Scratch one item off what could be a lengthy offseason to-do list for the Chicago Bears: sign a kicker.

That’s no longer needed as the team on Saturday agreed to a four-year, $16 million contract extension — $9.5 million guaranteed — with Cairo Santos, according to a league source, rewarding him for another season of high-level consistency.

It’s not the contract for an existing player everyone will be focused on. The status of cornerback Jaylon Johnson will be a pressing issue in the early portion of the offseason. But for a team that was bounced out of the playoffs after the 2018 season on a double-doink, the significance of having a proven performer in Santos can’t be overstated.

Entering Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals at Soldier Field, Santos has made 27 of 29 field-goal attempts this season, including 6-for-6 from 50 yards or more. He’s at 91.2% since rejoining the team in 2020 after Eddy Piñeiro was injured during training camp.

Santos has surpassed longtime standout Robbie Gould as the most accurate kicker in team history.

Santos, 32, had three games remaining on a three-year, $9 million contract signed by the team’s former front office. The Bears were never going to use the franchise tag on Santos but needed to get something done to prevent him from becoming an unrestricted free agent.

He was named the NFC special teams player of the month in November and has been more effective on kickoffs this season with deeper kicks and more touchbacks.

As challenging as Soldier Field can be for specialists with the wind, Santos gives the Bears an edge. In home games since 2020, he’s 44 of 48 on field-goal attempts while the opposition is 49 of 59.

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