Once again, Jerry Angelo has followed his pattern of using free agency to fill some more immediate holes, which allow him to draft the best player on the board.

I think it's safe to say that DT is now off the board with Harris, Johnson, Adams, Garay on board for next season, and with Tyrone Carter adding more depth at safety, the Bears are set in the secondary also. Carter's signing could be telling in that Daniel Manning will probably move to CB now, and hopefully this move will be insurance for Mike Brown as well.

Resigning Brown was expected, but it gives us all 5 starters on the line - albeit this will be the one area where I think we will spend one of our top 2 picks on.



1) Addressing their need for a veteran defensive tackle, the Chicago Bears reached agreement with unrestricted free agent Anthony Adams on Sunday evening, ESPN.com has learned.

The four-year veteran, who played his entire career with the San Francisco 49ers before going into the free-agent market earlier this month, was rated by ESPN.com as the 25th-best player available in the veteran pool. He was one of only two players from that group who was still available.


Adams, 26, will sign a four-year contract with the Bears, the financial details of which were not immediately available. The two sides began negotiating in earnest late last week.

In acquiring Adams, a starter for most of his career with the 49ers, the Bears add a proven player at a position which has grown perilously thin in the offseason. Star tackle Tommie Harris should return from the hamstring injury that prematurely ended his 2006 season, but beyond that, there isn't much depth or experience.


The team's other veteran starter, Tank Johnson, is currently serving a four-month jail term for firearms possession and there has been widespread speculation he faces league sanctions, most likely a four-game suspension. The Bears lost key backup Alfonso Boone, who signed with Kansas City as a free agent, and top reserve Ian Scott could perhaps leave as well.


Scott has been negotiating with Atlanta Falcons officials, but the Bears in recent days also demonstrated some interest in re-signing him. The addition of Adams may preclude that.


A second-round pick of the 49ers in the 2003 draft, Adams is an undersized but quick tackle, one whose skill-set should make him an excellent fit in the Chicago defensive scheme. With the 49ers intent on completing their transition to a 3-4 defense in 2007, Adams was ill-suited for the plans there. In fact, as San Francisco moved increasingly to a 3-4 last season, Adams saw his playing time reduced.

He started in only five games in 2006 after starting all 16 contests a year earlier.


In four seasons, the former Penn State standout has 144 tackles, six sacks, a forced fumble and seven passes defensed. He has appeared in 58 games and started in 34 of them.

In other news, safety Tyrone Carter, who played for the Steelers the last three seasons, has signed a free-agent contract with the Bears, according to ESPN.com's John Clayton. It's a three-year deal worth $2.4 million, including a $280,000 signing bonus. The Bears also re-signed guard Ruben Brown to a one-year deal for $2.2 million.

One thing I'm confused on: I know Tank Johnson's sentence is 120 days, but is he really spending 120 days in jail? I thought that the initial word was that only half the time would actually be in jail, so long as he maintained good behavior.

I believe Tank only has to spend 60 days in jail. Good behavior = 2 days for every 1 in jail.

I've loved Carter since his days as a Gopher. The great thing about him is that he brings something different that Archuletta and Brown, good pass coverage.

JA is already tipping his hand that this is going to be an offensively heavy draft for the beloved with an emphasis on receivers early. All signs for me point to Olson.

are you sure the Bears signed Carter?

It looks like they did not. It would have helped on both special teams and safety depth. The beloved will just have to survive with what they have.

The Tribune is reporting that the Bears signed Carter.

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Don't worry, Nas--Devin Hester's conversion to wide receiver will alleviate all your concerns.

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You don't see them going for a linebacker early?

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i agree and i was kinda hoping for Sidney Rice from south carolina.

I don't believe there is any way that Olson will be there at 31. I don't see JA trading up.

No. I think they are intent on making Briggs play.

Also, JA seems to like linebackers in the 3-4 rounds. It was unfortunate that Williams got hurt in the middle of last year. It would have been nice to see if he has the ability to be an every down linebacker.

If Posluzny is available, I would love to have him. I don't think he will be available and I don't think JA will take him.

the most crucial needs for the Bears right now is at OL. They will probably draft the best available OT or OG at 31 and possibly even with their second-round pick.

A revolving door is a better blocker then Fred Miller.

Nothing specific.

Angelo seems to be filling all of his defensive needs with FA. He historically does not like to draft OL early. He will not be taking a QB or RB. That leaves WR and TE. Several of the WR who would be available at 31 will also be there at 37 while the top TE most likely would not. Further, they let Gabe Reid walk.

On the other hand, if JA prefers Zach Miller at TE, maybe he drafts someone like Meachem with the 1st and Miller with the second. That would be a good draft. I just think Olsen is his guy.

no way will Olsen be there at 31.

I don't know, gimp. A lot of teams picked TE early in last year's draft. There is no way those teams will be picking another TE in Rd 1. Olsen also has his flaws. He is not the complete TE that gets picked early in Rd. 1. He is purely a reciever.

If he came out last year he would certainly not be the top player at his position. He might have been a little better than Marcedes Lewis but they seem fairly similar in terms of talent.

While Olsen was a hero of the combine there are some who still believe Zach Miller is the better TE.

I would not cry if he is not there but he is a steal at 31.

Profootballtalk.com has Olsen going to New Orleans a few slots ahead of the Bears' first pick. They have the Bears taking Joe Staley, the tackle from Central Michigan, at #31 and GT linebacker Charles Johnson at #37.

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I would be more than happy with Staley. He is a player who is growing into his position who is projected as a LT one of these days. I would even be okay if they went OT and OG with the first two picks. I'd bust a nut if somehow they drafted a combination of Staley and Sears or Blaylock. The Jets became a much better team with the additions of Ferguson and Mangold with their 1 and 2 last year.

I think there is a lot of talent at OG this year, which is good as it is a need for the bear.

I agree, I would go with the best OT and OG for the first two selections.

We have an aging offensive line that needs depth. An old OL protecting an immobile QB is a recipe for disaster.

I think the draft is deeper with guards than tackles. I wouldn't reach at a position just to fill a need.