Bears Football Blog

Bears serious about Plaxico?

Jerry Angelo's door remains open when it comes to adding a veteran wide receiver. Bears players would like to say ''come on in'' to Plaxico Burress.

The general manager has not ruled out anything, and in an offseason like none the franchise has seen, everything is in play eight weeks before training camp. That includes Burress, the former New York Giants receiver who remains without a team while the NFL waits to see how his gun charge proceeds in New York courts. Continue

Bears add LB Tinoisamoa

Clearly, the Bears and Lovie Smith want to do everything possible to make their new defensive coordinator look good.

Adding strong-side linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa to the defense gives Smith -- who appointed himself the defensive play-caller in January -- no obvious depth concerns or inexperience among the Bears' front seven. Expect Tinoisamoa, the Rams' leading tackler four times in his first six seasons, to beat out question marks Nick Roach and Hunter Hillenmeyer, who could battle for a roster spot.

Tinoisamoa (pronounced Tino-EE-sah-moe-AH) is as difficult on offensive linemen as he is on play-by-play announcers. A salary cap casualty in St. Louis, he is strong, smart, quick and motivated by a one-year deal that will make the entire season a salary drive. Beyond that, Tinoisamoa has a believer in Smith, who was his rookie-year defensive coordinator in St. Louis and is known to favor smallish, speedy linebackers. Smith had a lot to do with the Rams taking a chance on drafting Tinoisamoa, who had a felony assault conviction on his record, and probably was the biggest reason Tinoisamoa picked the Bears over the Bills. Continue

Bears sign TE Gaines

Michael Gaines knows he has missed the first half of the Bears' offseason workout program, but the new tight end isn't wasting time getting up to speed.

''I'll be back at Halas Hall [this] morning,'' Gaines said Monday as he traveled to his home in Detroit following a visit with the team, physical and quick contract negotiation.

Gaines' contract is for one year and can reach $1.25 million. He was also being pursued by the New York Jets before they changed direction and re-signed veteran Bubba Franks. Provided he makes the team, Gaines could become the best blocking tight end on a roster that missed John Gilmore last season. The Bears converted just 23 of 35 (65.7 percent) situations where it was third- or fourth-and-one. Continue

Bears need WRs

While the Bears have been getting acquainted with Jay Cutler this week as the voluntary offseason workout program began at Halas Hall, they're also spreading far and wide to find their new quarterback some help.

Wide receivers coach Darryl Drake put Oklahoma's Juaquin Iglesias through a private workout Tuesday in Iglesias' hometown of Killeen, Texas, and Drake will do the same with Georgia's Mohamed Massaquoi today in Athens, Ga. They're two of the players the team is targeting with its first pick -- now in the second round at No. 49 overall after the Cutler deal. Continue

Tackle John St. Clair signs with Cleveland Browns

Tackle John St. Clair signed a three-year deal with the Cleveland Browns today. The Bears had offered their free agent tackle a three-year deal worth more than $4 million but St. Clair went with the higher offer from the Browns.

According to a source close to St. Clair, the deal is worth $9.1 million with $1.25 guaranteed.  (Tribune)

Bears sign S Bullocks

 The Bears have signed safety Josh Bullocks to a one-year contract, a league source said. Bullocks gets $525,000 guaranteed, and will add depth to the secondary immediately. Continue

Kevin Jones resigns with Bears

Some might have considered running back Kevin Jones the more difficult to re-sign of the free agents the Bears are pursuing, but he returned Friday.

Jones agreed to a two-year contract worth $3.5 million, a deal that will pay him $2million this year. It solidifies what's expected to be a more diverse backfield this season, as Jones will team with Matt Forte and Garrett Wolfe, who's still expected to get an opportunity for an expanded role. Veteran Adrian Peterson always finds his way into the mix, too. Continue

S Sharper still high on Bears

Free-agent safety Darren Sharper visited the Saints on Monday but left New Orleans without signing a contract.

The Bears are high on his list.

"The visit [to New Orleans] went really well, and I should know something by the end of the week," Sharper told the Tribune on Wednesday. "My agent [Joel Segal] is in discussions with [the Saints and Bears]."

Sharper does not have a trip to Halas Hall scheduled but said he could sign with the Bears without it. Continue

Bears sign free agent OL Omiyale

While they introduced a guy Jerry Angelo admittedly called not a household name, the Bears were careful to point out Frank Omiyale is not a replacement for John St. Clair, who remains the next target in the free-agent plan.

The Bears made one of the first moves in free agency Friday when they signed Omiyale to a four-year contract worth as much as $14 million with $5 million guaranteed. It made it clear the Bears are out to revamp their offensive line, a point driven home when Angelo talked about the need to bring St. Clair back. Continue