Bears
- Brad Biggs at the Chicago Tribune reports that Chris Harris will be moving to strong safety. This is a good move by the Bears. Harris is much more suited to this role with Major Wright likely now taking over the duties at free safety. Danieal Manning played well at strong safety last year but the Bears are well supplied with those and when he didn’t pan out at free safety with his athleticism, it seemed likely he would be leaving. Manning figures to make more on the free agent market with his ability as a kick returner than the Bears would have given him.
- Neil Hayes at the Chicago Sun-Times reports that Brad Maynard was released in part because of philosophical differences with special teams coach Dave Toub:
“‘There was one person there, and he and I didn’t see eye to eye. I did the best I could with what I was asked to do. There were times I was asked to do things where I told myself, ‘There’s no way I can do this,’ but I kept my mouth shut and did the best I could.’
“When asked if that person was Toub, who is considered one of the best special-teams coaches in the league, Maynard said: ‘Yeah.’”
A staff report from the Chicago Tribune quotes Maynard, a pretty good directional punter, as he adds some details:
“…there were times when I literally would say [let’s kick it] left and he would say right and I would say I can’t go right. The wind is blowing right to left, we need to go left. If I hit it right down the middle it’s going to carry down the left sideline, and he wouldn’t let me do it. “
- Sean Jensen at the Chicago Sun-Times reports that linebacker Nick Roach had breakfast with coaches Tuesday, including head coach Lovie Smith. According to Jeff Dickerson at ESPNChicago.com, the Bears are interested in Roach primarily as a backup while they apparently search outside for a starter in free agency.
- Dan Pompei at the Chicago Tribune gives an exceptional overview of the Bears undrafted free agent class.
- Bears free agent receiver Devin Aromashodu will now refuse to go over the middle for the Vikings.
- Neil Hayes at the Chicago Sun-Times says that free agent receiver Rashied Davis is drawing some interest from other teams. Unlike other special teamers that the Bears have lost, Davis probably won’t be swayed by the promise to compete for a regular job. He gets a fair bit of playing time with the Bears.
Elsewhere
- One unnamed personnel executive told Brad Biggs at the Chicago Tribune that he doesn’t think the free agent “frenzy” is as bad as most people believe. He thinks a lot of negotiating with free agents was done during the combine and, in the case of undrafted free agents, during the draft:
“‘What everyone has missed in all of this was there was normal business at the combine (in February) because that was before the lockout,’ the executive said. ‘So there was a lot of free agency and the normal business of tampering per se was done at the combine. A lot of contracts were done at the combine already.’”
“‘I’m also going to tell you there were a lot of undrafted players that were committed during the draft for college free agency,’ the source said. ‘You had normal business, you could call agents and talk about college free agents right up until the last player of the draft was selected. I guarantee you there was a lot of negotiating going on with a lot of players during the draft, probably from the fourth round on down.’”
- ESPN NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert thinks Christian Ponder will be starting this year. That might be true but it will basically eliminate almost all hope that they’ll be competitive in the division.
- The Sports Pickle quotes ten players on the end of the lockout:
One Final Thought
Kristin Cavallari tells the world what she’s ready to do now that she’s no longer engaged to Jay Cutler. I’m guessing that’s going to be quite a long line… Via The Superficial.
