You could say this Sunday’s game versus Detroit has all the makings of a trap game if the Bears aren’t careful. Luckily, if anyone on the team has Internet access, they were warned here, here, and oh, here too.

We get it. Don’t look past the Lions. Well, last time I checked, their starting quarterback is known for running out of his own endzone. Sorry if that doesn’t necessarily color me worried. But it’s true. The Bears shouldn’t take Detroit, or any NFL team, for granted. Even if their QB is Dan Orlovsky. (more…)

Cornerback Trey Brown and tight end Marcus Stone are the last two players to be cut from the Chicago Bears. With that, the 53-man roster is intact, ready to be reviewed, scutinized, whatever.

The final cuts also signal a new beginning of sorts for players who have secured a spot with the team. Most notably, quarterback Caleb Hanie. The undrafted free agent from Colorado State played well in preseason action and will be the third-string quarterback behind Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman.

Running back Garrett Wolfe has also made the team. He too, looked impressive during the preseason, and will be one of four Bears running backs. Kevin Jones, Adrian Peterson, and rookie Matt Forte are the other three.

The good news as far as this year’s draft is concerned is all but three ‘08 draftees have made the squad. Defensive end Ervin Baldwin, linebacker Joey Larocque, and wide receiver Marcus Monk are the three exceptions. Guard Chester Adams is likely headed for some type of injury settlement whatchamajig, and apparently isn’t on the same boat as the others. You tell me. (more…)

Despite leading the league in touchdown catches this preseason (3), wide receiver Brandon Rideau will not be a member of the Bears’ 53-man roster. If you remember correctly, I specifically lobbied for Rideau — given his tall 6′3 frame and apparent knack for the big play — to make the team over incumbent Mark Bradley. Sadly, it is not to be.

Defensive ends Ervin Baldwin and Joe Clermond, guard Anthony Oakley, tight end Fontel Mines, and linebacker Joey Larocque will also be aiming to make the practice squad or another team in ‘08.

Larocque’s release means Michael Okwo lost his job to either Nick Roach or Darrell McClover. Both linebackers are now presumably safe.

Aside from March 1, the day when free agents are first able to sign with other teams, the end of August roster cuts have to make for the busiest transaction period. This becomes evident as we learn of more and more roster casualties.

Per Brad Biggs of the Sun-Times, guards Chester Adams, Tyler Reed, and Cody Balogh, along with tackle Ryan Poles, defensive end Nick Osborn, long snapper Thomas Gafford, and punter Zac Atterberry, will be released.

Adams was a seventh-round pick by Chicago in this year’s draft. The Georgia product sustained a left knee injury in the second quarter of the Bears’ 16-10 preseason victory over the Cleveland Browns. Placed on injured reserve, Adams and the Bears are expected to come to terms on some type of injury settlement.

There are quite a few people out there who have questioned the early-round drafting ability of Bears general manager Jerry Angelo. And for good reason. Notable misses under his regime include running back Cedric Benson (1st round in ‘05), defensive end Michael Haynes (1st round in ‘03), and cornerback Roosevelt Williams (3rd round in ‘02).

Today, the team added fuel to the anti-Angelo fire, took an uneasy swallow of their pride, and released defensive end Dan Bazuin and linebacker Michael Okwo, the second and third-round picks from the 2007 draft.

Bazuin was touted as being a quick, agile, pass-rushing specialist who would compliment the team’s speedy and aggressive unit well. In his one year with the team, the only thing he was quick to do was land on the injured list. Okwo’s brief career in Chicago echoed much of Bazuin’s, made apparent by him likely losing his roster spot to a seventh-round pick in Joey LaRocque.

Other confirmed cuts thus far: wide receiver Mike Hass, safety Leonard Peters, running back P.J. Pope and fullback Lousaka Polite. The Bears, and every NFL team for that matter, have until 5 p.m. today to cut down to the 53-man roster limit.

All-Pro return man and wide receiver Devin Hester has decided to skip the Bears’ first day of training camp.  Hester, the third-year pro, is due to make $445,000 this year – far less than what any two-time Pro Bowler should be making.

The Bears are expected to fine Hester $15,000 a day until he shows, but they’d be smarter to actively pursue a contract resolution. Without a doubt, Hester brings an exciting, game-changing ability to an offense that sorely needs it. His 11 career return touchdowns are fourth most in NFL history.

Bottom line is if Hester is indeed expected to vie for a more significant role in the passing game — which Bears coaches have indicated is true — he needs to be out on the field right now.

Nicely done, Jerry Angelo. Nicely done. Just when it seemed like the Bears had lost interest in the Virginia Tech product, I wake up this morning to news that proves the Bears were probably entirely interested all along.

The Bears have signed running back Kevin Jones to a one-year deal. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

We originally reported the Bears interest in Jones on June 11. But then, after head coach Lovie Smith made it clear the Bears didn’t “have any plans to [add a veteran running back],” we thought it was over. Yet, we still held a glimmer of hope until Jones’ highly-publicized workout attracted only four NFL team representatives — none of which were from the Bears.

Yet, here we are today: proof that the NFL can sometimes be an unpredictable muddle of waiver wires and trades. (more…)

At a news conference this morning in Halas Hall, newly-signed Tommie Harris called his contract negotiations with the Bears businesslike and “classy.” 

In fact, Harris seemed to make the distinction between himself and fellow teammates Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs.

“I would never go out and talk about the Bears in front of the media or disrespect my team,” said Harris.

Maybe, it was Harris’ decision to keep talks private that eventually swayed things in his favor. If you remember, Harris rejected the Bears’ initial extension offer back in April. That deal was also believed to have made Harris the highest-paid defensive tackle in the league, but it was probably for more years than Harris was seeking. (more…)

Per ProFootballTalk.com, the Bears have signed defensive tackle Tommie Harris to a four-year extension worth $40 million. Harris will receive $27 million over the first three years, making him the highest paid defensive tackle in the league.

Better yet for Harris, the relatively short length of the extension ensures he will be in store for another big payday once the contract expires in 2012 — ala Larry Fitzgerald. Harris will be only 29 then.

Still, it’s good news for both sides. Harris gets the contract he wanted and the Bears retain arguably, when healthy, the best defensive tackle in the NFL.

If you listen close enough Tommie, you can hear the bank breaking.

Today’s NFL players are getting paid like none other before them. Via USA Today’s Salaries Database, the average folk like us can see exactly how much money any NFL player made each year from 2000-2007. (They also have salaries for basketball, baseball and hockey).

What strikes me as most alarming is the rate of which the salary cap has risen over just the last seven years. In 2000, the Bears’ total payroll was $56,895,200. Last year, it was a whopping $104,151,969. For those keeping score, that’s close to doubled.

If the salary cap continued its rise at a comparable rate, it would hit nearly $200 million by 2015. That’s more than enough to ensure Ricky Manning will get to continue smoking his Ramon Allones’ and I’ll keep beating myself up over quitting freshmen football.