Bears Trade Rumors

"It seems pretty obvious which way the Bears are going at quarterback. With 20 days until the start of the regular season, all signs are pointing to Kyle Orton being the starter Sept. 7 at Indianapolis. Coach Lovie Smith didn't give any indication Saturday night after a 29-26 overtime loss at Seattle, but did he have to? Orton put together a 51-yard drive at the end of the first half, setting up a 39-yard Robbie Gould field goal after Seahawks cornerback Kelly Jennings knocked a touchdown pass from Devin Hester's hands. Those were the first points the offense put on the board after Rex Grossman started the game. Grossman didn't stand a chance as he was ransacked by an aggressive Seahawks ..."

"Faced with an injury-depleted offensive line, the Bears could begin this season the same way it ended 2007. The team has contacted veteran tackle Fred Miller about making a return to the team, according to Miller's agent. Agent Harold Lewis said Miller, 35, is mulling whether to sign with the Bears, Texans or Ravens. The decision could be finalized in the next day. "His preference would be to return to the Bears," Lewis said Thursday evening. Miller was released in February for salary cap reasons. He was heading into the final two years of his five-year, $25.5 million contract. He was due a $500,000 bonus on March 1 and scheduled to make $4 million this season. The Bears limped into ..."

"Before Brett Favre joined the Jets set late Wednesday night, the Bears always could justify not pursuing Favre because they had the Packers' unwillingness to trade within the NFC North division as a crutch. There would be no such impediment to exploring the possibility of Chad Pennington, the quarterback likely to be out of a job with Favre's expected arrival in New York. Pennington, 32, is older and more expensive than fellow quarterback Kellen Clemens. He is scheduled to make $6 million in 2008, and it's hard to imagine how the Jets could fit his salary and Favre's $12 million salary under the cap. If Pennington is released as expected, he will be free to sign with any team and the Bears ..."

"The Green Bay Packers, driven to the brink of desperation in their ongoing spat with Brett Favre, have discussed internally the possibility of trading the quarterback within the NFC North Division. A source close to the situation told the Journal Sentinel on Wednesday that the Packers were considering seeking a deal with one of their division rivals, most probably the Minnesota Vikings or Chicago Bears, if backed into a corner by the National Football League and public sentiment. On Monday, general manager Ted Thompson said flatly that the Packers would not trade Favre within the division. But having no prospects of trading Favre anywhere else and under increasing pressure from ..."

"Chris Simms is expected to report today for the first day of training camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. How long he stays with the team remains to be seen. A rift between Simms and coach Jon Gruden has developed since the quarterback last was on the field before suffering a nearly fatal spleen injury in September 2006. Simms has made no secret he wants off the pirate ship, and the Bears have long been mentioned as a possible landing spot. But at what price? The Bucs are carrying five quarterbacks on their roster, including ex-Bear Brian Griese and disgruntled starter Jeff Garcia. With camp roster limits at 80, carrying five quarterbacks would force Gruden to be thin at another position. ..."

"The tranquil start to Bears training camp disappeared faster than a Devin Hester touchdown return today when the Bears special teams ace refused to show up for the opening practice in a contract holdout. Hester did not report to camp on Tuesday night before midnight as players were required to do and missed team meetings this morning, but he officially became a contract holdout with the start of practice at 3 p.m. His decision not to report to camp had to be a surprise to a franchise that reached 12th-hour contract solutions for middle linebacker Brian Urlacher and rookie left tackle Chris Williams in an effort to ensure the entire roster would report on time."

"Now that the Bears have appeased the face of the franchise before training camp, they can focus on appealing to the future of the offensive line. Brian Urlacher agreed Monday to the one-year contract extension that pushes his current contract through 2012 and includes almost $18 million in new money, $6 million in bonuses. Bill Johnson, Urlacher's agent, still has some unfinished business as he attempts to close the deal on another client—left tackle Chris Williams, the Bears' first-round draft pick. As of Monday, it was unclear exactly where talks stood on the matter, and the deadline for players to report to camp in Bourbonnais is midnight Tuesday."

"Really, the Bears have been jonesing for a running game since trading Thomas Jones to the Jets in March 2007, a month after their last Super Bowl appearance. Can Kevin Jones help supply the potent 1-2 punch that has been missing since then? Apparently, the Bears are curious enough to take a good look at the ex-Lions running back, a former first-round draft pick who believes he can return to 1,000-yard form after two serious injuries the last two seasons. NFL sources said Jones was to take a physical and visit Halas Hall on Tuesday, one week before the Bears open training camp."

"Most people can identify with being in a bad relationship that needs to end. When the relationship first started, there was nothing but hope and promise. It originally seemed that person could be a good fit, but as things progressed, somebody, if not both parties, realized they were not compatible. Then it was time to move on. This basically summarizes the dysfunctional relationship between the Bucs and Chris Simms, the unhappy quarterback who wants out, but whose team will not let him go. We learned last week that Dallas, Chicago and Detroit are interested in Simms. There are plenty more rumors to come, and no matter which team Simms plays for this season, he will be a backup - ..."

"Third-round pick Marcus Harrison is on the verge of signing a four-year deal with the Bears, an NFL source said Monday. The deal is expected to be finalized within the next 24 hours. Harrison, a defensive tackle from Arkansas, could provide a spark as a backup on the interior of the defensive line this coming season. He had first-round potential, but an arrest and ACL injury caused the rookie to drop. Harrison is projected as a future starter."

"First came the appearance of middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, who took part in his first voluntary workout of the offseason, presumably as a goodwill gesture to open lines of communication in his efforts to upgrade his contract. Then came a Halas Hall sighting of Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for defensive tackle Tommie Harris, another Pro Bowl player seeking a new deal. Nothing may be imminent, but Urlacher's appearance was a lift to teammates and coaches alike. Defensive end Alex Brown was asked what it meant to have Urlacher on the field. ''It's like [asking] what does it mean to have gas in the car?'' Brown said."

"Shortly after the Detroit Lions released him in March, Kevin Jones made a phone call to Tommie Harris—a former rival on the field but a close friend off it dating back to their high school all-star days...The Bears might not need Harris' prodding to make a move on Jones. His agent, Blake Baratz, called the Bears shortly after Cedric Benson was arrested for the second time in five weeks. Benson was released Monday, leaving the starting job in the hands of rookie Matt Forte. Jones might not be bad insurance."

"Forte was drafted in the second round with the idea he will be a feature back. Adrian Peterson always has been lauded as a dependable backup, and bringing in someone from the discard pile would serve only to muddy the situation with Garrett Wolfe. The Bears need to find a way to get the 2007 third-round pick on the field, not block his path. Kevin Jones? He'd love to play in Chicago. Ron Dayne? Ditto. It's an attractive destination for running backs in need of work in the wake of Benson's departure...Former league MVP Shaun Alexander remains on the market, and Oakland is expected to part ways with Lamont Jordan at some point."

"The day after the Bears severed ties with Cedric Benson, his lawyer maintained that a videotape would prove his client's innocence, the Bears no doubt continued to prepare for the Matt Forte era and free-agent running back Kevin Jones continued to wait for a call. Jones, a former first-round pick of the Detroit Lions, hopes to hear from the Bears, according to a source close to the player."

"Should he get into it if the Bears dump Benson? Does the prospect of fielding a fading Shaun Alexander or an injury-prone Kevin Jones or signing some other washed-up castoff really intrigue the fan base? Shame on you if it does. It's all about starters in the NFL -- front-line talent capable of making a positive impact on the outcome of a game. Backups are only of importance if the starter goes down. The Bears have a ton of backups at running back, just as they are back-loaded at a lot of positions as evidenced by the fact their special teams are the best in the league every year. But unless you get star-quality starters at the most influential positions, you're never going to be a ..."

"The Bears reconvene at Halas Hall today for the continuation of voluntary offseason workouts, but the real story is the team's expected sit-down with running back Cedric Benson, fresh off his second arrest in five weeks. It could be Benson's last meeting with the team. Benson is far from the wickedest villain in Bears history. He's just a not-particularly competitive guy lost in an ultra-competitive world. Benson's prospects for NFL success were dim before his DWI arrest early Saturday, and the clarity his recent problems bring seems headed to an unambiguous conclusion. It's difficult to make any argument for him at this point."

"Bears running back Cedric Benson had nothing to say about his latest arrest on alcohol-related charges after being reached by phone Sunday evening. He did say the latest episode in his turbulent off-season will not prevent him from participating in organized team activities Monday. There is considerable speculation that the Halas Hall appearance might be his last as a Bear."

"As police mugshots go, it’s not as maniacal as Nick Nolte’s or as damning as Rip Torn’s. But Cedric Benson definitely was having a good time in the wee hours Saturday, posing for his latest portrait at Texas Slammer Studios. He wore a huge grin, wider than the 3.4 yards he averaged last year. His eyes were narrow, underlined by heavily creased bags. His shirt was open at the neck, his hair sticking up on top. This will be our last image of him, I believe. Because if the Bears have any accountability as a Chicago institution, any interest in operating a law-abiding and responsible organization amid their comfortable Lake Forest existence, they’ll immediately end their hopeless, ..."

"The sides have talked at least twice in the last few weeks after going months without much dialogue. Urlacher's meeting with Angelo lasted about 20 minutes. "He let me know how he felt on some things," Angelo said. "It was a positive conversation." Urlacher is leaving all comments on his contract to his agents for now. "Any time both parties can get together and talk, certainly that's positive," said Bill Johnson, who represents Urlacher."

"All hands were on deck for minicamp Friday with Brian Urlacher reporting to Halas Hall, but that doesn't mean the Bears don't have a host of unresolved issues -- and we're not even delving into the quarterback derby. Tommie Harris did not participate in team drills, and one team source said it was a surprise the three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle showed up, saying Harris' inactivity in organized team activities led the Bears to believe he would be AWOL."

"Q: Is Tommie Harris on the Steelers' radar in the 2009 free agent market or is he too "pricey?" Could Simmons and Mahan and up on the bench and Starks RT and Colon RG be starters? And if so, do the Steelers extend Starks to a long term deal? Jay Sabo of Allentown A: If Tommie Harris signs with the Steelers next year I will personally walk to Allentown to tell you about it. First, I doubt that the defensive tackle even gets to the open market. I'd assume the Bears are making every effort to sign Harris to a long-term contract extension before he becomes a free agent."

"Bears general manager Jerry Angelo was conveniently out of town and did not return phone calls. No doubt he needs to gather more information, as well. Sadly, it's a bit late for that. There's a big enough pile of evidence for the Bears to cut ties with Benson without another thought. Maybe that's the real positive of his water-logged weekend. Benson has one leg out the door and another on a banana peel anyway after the draft last weekend, when the Bears effectively replaced him by using a second-round pick on Matt Forte."

"It is even logical to suggest that if Benson ever carries the ball again for the Bears, maybe the team has learned even less than the running back in the last three years. But take a deep breath, Windy City cynics. Just because Benson has done nothing to earn the benefit of the doubt during his tumultuous Bears career doesn't mean he should be deprived it. Fairness dictates being deliberate when deciding whether the Bears should get rid of Benson after he was arrested Saturday night near Austin, Texas, on charges of boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest. Knowing the Bears and Lovie Smith, don't be surprised if that ship doesn't sail after all — at least not because of this ..."

"Cedric Benson famously wept on draft day back in 2005 when the Bears selected him with the No. 4 overall pick. Now he really has a reason to cry. If Benson wasn't already a bona fide bust before Saturday, the Bears declared him thus by using their second-round pick, No. 44 overall, to select his replacement, Tulane running back Matt Forte."

"So when the Bears drafted another running back Saturday, incumbent Cedric Benson probably shook his head, assumed that perplexed facial expression of his, and wondered how dumb these people are."

"Jerry Angelo didn't want to get into the specifics of contract negotiations for any one player, but that didn't prevent the Bears' general manager from veering off the path Tuesday in the face of a long line of questions regarding Brian Urlacher's demands."

"Contracts, trade requests, team chemistry, salary cap, fairness, unfairness -- most of the questions centering on the status of unhappy linebacker Brian Urlacher. But also included in the mix was the status of Tommie Harris, Devin Hester and Robbie Gould, all of whom, like Urlacher, are angling to restructure their contracts. And all of whom are under contract."

"Yeah, I'm sure mustering a lot of sympathy for Brian Urlacher in his quest to "feel appreciated." The best way to do that, I always say, is to invite a fawning Tribune writer into your luxurious Arizona existence, threaten to boycott mini-camp because your $57 million deal is obsolete and completely downplay that neck and back problems might blunt your impact and shorten your career."

"It's hard to argue with Jerry Angelo's characterization Tuesday of the contract extension offered Brian Urlacher as fair. A $5 million signing bonus with $1 million tacked on to each of Urlacher's next four years' salaries indeed shows the Bears understand this problem probably won't go away without reaching into their pockets."

"Tommie Harris wants more money. Devin Hester wants more money. Robbie Gould, a freakin' kicker, wants more money. And, of course, Brian Urlacher, a mere five years into a nine-year deal, wants more money."

"Around this time last year, Lance Briggs expressed displeasure over his contract situation with the Bears. This spring, the Pro Bowl linebacker is raising his voice again—in support of teammate Brian Urlacher."

"Now that Brian Urlacher has had his say, the Bears will have a chance today to respond on the record about the middle linebacker's contract demands. The team hosts its annual predraft meeting with the media at Halas Hall, an occasion typically reserved for more smoke-blowing than a convention of cigar connoisseurs."

"The latest stir back at Halas Hall involves his contract situation and how he has opted to stay away from voluntary workouts with his teammates, in part because he wants Bears management to show more appreciation. He's uncertain about attending a mandatory mini-camp scheduled for the end of May, but Urlacher won't go as far as to declare himself a holdout."

"People who doubt Brian Urlacher's influence in the locker room are ignoring the teammates who are following his lead by seeking new contracts. They also overlook the wedge being driven between players and management by Urlacher's impasse evident at a recent workout when a Bears veteran loudly pleaded with coach Lovie Smith for the team just to pay the linebacker, according to a teammate."

"Forget what's fair or unfair, why we have contracts (to establish order amid chaos) or why an aging Brian Urlacher might want to renegotiate his own multimillion-dollar contract with the Bears when he has four years left on it."

"Brian Urlacher will have to wait his turn. While the star linebacker is becoming more vocal about his contract demands, return specialist and receiver Devin Hester is next when it comes to talks with the Bears."

"Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher disputed a report that he has threatened to retire if the Bears don't reward him with more guaranteed money."

"Brian Urlacher said in an Internet report Friday that the Bears have offered him a one-year extension of the nine-year, $56.65 million deal he signed in 2003. But it apparently isn't enough for the Pro Bowl middle linebacker. Urlacher, who will turn 30 in May and still has four years remaining on his deal, is boycotting the Bears voluntary offseason workout program and contemplating a training-camp holdout in search of a multiyear deal."

"Ever see a man so popular become so bitter, so calculating, so childish? No one in pro football has benefited from positive p.r. more than Brian Urlacher, who led the NFL in jersey sales last year and continues to show up in TV commercials that somehow make a monotonal, monosyllabic mope seem funny. Yet for some odd reason, he's mad at the world he owns. And if he isn't careful, that world could turn on him, if it hasn't already."

"One league source says Urlacher's agents have asked the team if they could explore a trade. Another says Urlacher is threatening to retire because of neck and back problems, a move in which he wouldn't have to repay any portion of the $13 million signing bonus he received in 2003, when he received a nine-year, $56.65 million deal."

"The original $57 million didn't seem to bother anyone. It was a little high for Brian Urlacher, but he had the potential to be a big star. And he got there, too. When athletes land these contracts, for the most part the big bucks are celebrated."

"There were no fireworks when contract talks between Drew Rosenhaus and the Bears broke off Wednesday. Just because they didn't reach a new deal for defensive tackle Tommie Harris doesn't mean it's not a possibility, as well as a priority for the Bears. It just might take some time. Extensions for players under contract are always a delicate issue."

"As the media surrounded Ted Phillips on Tuesday, the Bears president and CEO refused to put a timetable on contract talks with defensive standouts Tommie Harris and Brian Urlacher."

"Bears president and CEO Ted Phillips says he would like to complete negotiations soon on new contracts for Tommie Harris and Brian Urlacher for several reasons."

"The jokester in Tommie Harris walked into the gym at Maryville Academy on Tuesday and proclaimed relief that a long contract negotiation was complete. After receiving the Ed Block Courage Award at a luncheon benefitting the Ed McCaskey Scholarship Fund, the frequent comedian put all kidding aside. Harris doesn't want any drama in his bid to receive an extension from the Bears as he enters the final year of his contract."

"Brian Urlacher skipping Monday's start of voluntary workouts at Halas Hall over a contract dispute was like an engine light going on in the car."

"For the second year in a row, the Bears will be without a Pro Bowl linebacker for the start of their voluntary off-season program, in part because of an unresolved contract situation. Brian Urlacher told the Tribune on Sunday he plans to skip the first day of workouts, slated to begin Monday, and left open the strong possibility that he will bypass the Bears' entire voluntary off-season program, which includes organized team activities (OTAs)."

"The Bears will build toward the 2008 season today with the beginning of the offseason conditioning program and will work toward securing a cornerstone of the defense well into the future Tuesday as agent Drew Rosenhaus will visit Halas Hall to work on a contract for tackle Tommie Harris."

"Safety Brandon McGowan will be back with the Bears for the 2008 season. Will Rashied Davis return, too? McGowan, an unrestricted free agent, signed a one-year tender Tuesday worth $1.417 million, leaving Davis as the final unsigned regular from last year's team. The receiver has drawn interest from several teams, including the Chiefs, Seahawks and Bills, but has not visited any of them."

"Brendon Ayanbadejo inquired about taking out a full-page newspaper ad just to thank the fans in Chicago for their great support. That's a good indication the Pro Bowl special-teamer won't be with the Bears this coming season. Ayanbadejo is considering offers from the Ravens and Jets, both of them four-year deals that he says are worth close to $5 million total. He hopes to land $2 million guaranteed and is expected to choose between the teams Thursday."