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Reports indicate that the Bears and Dolphins have come to terms on a monster trade that could be announced soon. The Bears will be spending wide receiver Marty Booker and a 2005 third round draft pick to Miami for defensive end Adewale Ogunleye. The deal is dependent on the Bears' ability to negotiate a contract with Ogunleye by 7pm eastern tonight. If that doesn't occur, the deal will fall through.
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Re: Bears/Dolphins working on monster deal
The announcers on the Dolphins telecast tonight said that they are about $6 Million apart on a deal. -
Re: Bears/Dolphins working on monster deal
Now they've reversed themselves and announced that the deal was done. Ogunleye for Booker and a #3 pick. Ogunleye will receive a big contract.Comment
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Re: Bears/Dolphins working on monster deal
Dolphins send Ogunleye to Bears for Booker
By STEVEN WINE, AP Sports Writer
August 21, 2004
MIAMI (AP) -- Pro Bowl defensive end Adewale Ogunleye finally found a team willing to give him the contract he sought.
The Chicago Bears acquired Ogunleye from the Miami Dolphins on Saturday for receiver Marty Booker and a third-round draft choice in 2005. The trade was contingent on Ogunleye reaching a contract agreement with the Bears, and he accepted a six-year, $33.4 million deal, agent Drew Rosenhaus said.
Ogunleye, who led the AFC with 15 sacks last season and made the Pro Bowl for the first time, had been unsigned and at a stalemate in negotiations with Miami since May.
``He's going to be a hard guy to replace,'' Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas said. ``I hate to lose a great player like Wale, but I like Wale, and I know he got what he wanted. They wouldn't give it to him here.''
For the Dolphins, the deal shores up a receiving corps depleted by injuries, including David Boston's season-ending knee injury. The Bears have been seeking to upgrade their pass rush, and starting end Alex Brown has been sidelined this summer by a sprained calf muscle.
``You know how important those pass rushers are,'' Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said. ``We'd much rather have to address the receiver situation than the pass rusher, and we like our young receivers.''
Ogunleye's deal includes a $15 million signing bonus -- $10 million initially, and $5 million at the end of the season, Rosenhaus said. The agent said the Dolphins offered only a $1 million signing bonus.
``We're pleased the Bears stepped up,'' Rosenhaus said. ``Wale is ecstatic. He's set for life, and he becomes one of the highest-paid defensive linemen in the history of the league.''
Booker wasn't in uniform for the Bears' exhibition game Saturday night against San Francisco. A possession receiver, he had 100 catches for 1,071 yards in 2001, and 97 for 1,189 yards in 2002, when he made Pro Bowl. He missed three games with ankle injury last season and was limited to 52 receptions for 715 yards.
Booker, who signed a seven-year, $28-million deal before the 2002 season, was a third-round draft pick in 1999 from Northeast Louisiana. Ogunleye signed with Miami as an undrafted free agent after playing at Indiana.Comment
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Re: Bears/Dolphins working on monster deal
Ogunleye for Anthony Thomas would've made more sense to me but hey, what do I know?Comment
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Re: Bears/Dolphins working on monster deal
A good bit, Zig...
Bears' Anthony Thomas was target of trade for Ogunleye
By Alex Marvez
Staff Writer
Posted August 27 2004
DAVIE -- The Dolphins tried to address the tailback and wide receiver positions before trading defensive end Adewale Ogunleye to the Chicago Bears earlier this week.
A source said the Dolphins wanted to acquire Bears tailback Anthony Thomas and wide receiver Marty Booker in exchange for Ogunleye. But Chicago wouldn't agree to that package, instead offering wide receiver David Terrell and Thomas, a 1,000-yard rusher in 2003 who lost his starting job this offseason to Thomas Jones.
Dolphins management clearly preferred the more established Booker to Terrell, who has failed to log more than 43 receptions in a season since being the eighth overall selection in the 2001 draft. That resulted in the Dolphins instead accepting Booker and a 2005 third-round draft choice for Ogunleye.
The Dolphins may use that pick in a trade for a tailback to augment a rushing attack that was greatly weakened by last month's retirement of Ricky Williams. But the Dolphins are unlikely to surrender such a high selection for a player entering the final year of his contract unless an extension can be reached before a trade is consummated.
One player who falls into that category is Cleveland's James Jackson, who has drawn strong interest from the Dolphins.
Browns coach Butch Davis said he is adamant about receiving no less than a third-round pick for Jackson, which is thought to be greater compensation than what the Dolphins are currently willing to offer.
"If offered a fourth-round pick [or lower], we're better off having him here helping us win games," Davis told USA Today on Wednesday.
Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt said he plans to split snaps between tailbacks Travis Minor and Sammy Morris in Saturday night's exhibition game at Tampa Bay. Minor has gained only 15 yards on 13 carries in the first two exhibition games, while Morris sat out last Saturday's 17-0 loss to Washington with a concussion.
"I want to see a little consistency," said Wannstedt, who also plans to give fullback Rob Konrad some snaps at tailback. "We're close. It's not just the offensive line. It takes the back making the right cut. This should be interesting. I need to see more of those guys with more playing time in all situations."
Wannstedt said Antuan Edwards would start at free safety but rotate each quarter with backup Arturo Freeman. Rookie right guard Rex Hadnot may receive some snaps with the first-team offense in the third quarter and may soon be pushing Taylor Whitley for a starting spot.
"He's going to be a real good player," Wannstedt said of Hadnot. "It's just a matter of when."
Wide receiver Terrence Wilkens, who missed the first two games with a strained hamstring, will see action as a returner as he battles Sam Simmons for a roster spot.Comment
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http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/4039938
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) - Upset and frustrated that running back Cedric Benson is still a holdout and the only first-round draft pick without a contract agreement, the Chicago Bears have made their final offer to the No. 4 pick.
"After missing all of training camp, we want to make it abundantly clear that the Chicago Bears have made their best and final offer to Cedric Benson," Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said in a statement released by the team.
"No dollars are left on the bargaining table and at this point the only contract discussions that will be entertained will be reflective of the considerable loss of value to the club created by the players' extended absence," the statement said.
Benson's holdout reached its 26th day Thursday and the former Texas star has already missed two preseason games. The Bears' training camp at Bourbonnais, Ill., ended Wednesday.
The Bears are back at their Halas Hall training facility and play again Saturday at Indianapolis. They have two exhibitions remaining after that before opening the regular season Sept. 11 at Washington.
The Bears have been burned by holdouts from first-round running backs in the past, most notably Curtis Enis, who was drafted in 1998 and is who is no longer in the NFL after a disappointing injury-plagued career.
"The Chicago Bears have always placed a premium on having our players in camp on time," Angelo said noting that two other first-rounders represented by Benson's agent, Eugene Parker, were in on time - quarterback Rex Grossman and defensive tackle Tommie Harris.
"The failure to reach an agreement on a fair and reasonable contract has been a huge disappointment," Angelo said, encouraging Benson to end his holdout and report to camp.
The Bears expected Benson, the fourth overall pick in the draft, to challenge incumbent Thomas Jones for playing time.
"There is nothing new," Parker said Thursday evening, adding that he did not have a reaction to the Bears' statement.-08-19-2005, 08:16 AM -
Bears, not Benson, lose in blinking contest
August 25, 2005
BY JAY MARIOTTI SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST
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Is it possible Cedric Benson, who is smarter and more thoughtful than folks in Chicago know, simply doesn't want to play for the Bears? That he has had a whiff of the Halas Hall experience and prefers to sit out the season and cast his future lot elsewhere? If I were a premier, young running back and knew the tortured track record of Rashaan Salaam and Curtis Enis, then grasped the enormous pressure to fill cleat marks in the city of Walter Payton and Gale Sayers, I might blow off $17 million in guaranteed money, too.
Ted Phillips and Jerry Angelo, negotiators first and winners when convenient, have spun Benson's image into that of a problem child. I say the kid is a visionary.
You hear all sorts of local commentators, many in bed with the Bears, claim Benson is sabotaging his NFL career by not accepting the standing offer. In fact, maybe he's just a free spirit who smells a dog franchise when he sees one. It's daring, I know, to buck the big system. When Bill Polian, president of the Indianapolis Colts, criticizes Benson for holding out, you realize the league is about a partnership of franchises -- management vs. the salary structure -- more than any cutthroat competition to win the Super Bowl. That said, if Benson isn't comfortable enough to put his signature to a contract, I don't understand how fans can castigate him simply because Angelo, Phillips and the Lake Forest propaganda machine want people to adopt their hardline stance like so many sheep.
If you were beginning the rest of your life out of college, tell me: Would you want to launch your career with a company like the Chicago Bears? A team that can charge a mean Permanent Seat License fee but can't develop a quarterback? If Benson sits out the year, he can launch a fresh start next season. In a league in which Ricky Williams is granted a second chance after his Reefer Madness tour and Maurice Clarett manages to get drafted after mounting an absurd legal challenge, what stops another team from recognizing that Benson's legs and body are fresh and investing sizable sums?
I've endured too many lost seasons to side with the Bears this time. The extenuating circumstances of Rex Grossman's injury should have prompted Teddy Bear to abandon his role as Protector of the McCaskey Millions and meet Benson's wishes. If he's as good as he was advertised last spring as the No. 4 pick, the bruising running back from Texas might be just what the offensive coordinator ordered: someone who can control the football, gain 1,300 yards, remove the onus from whichever unprepared quarterback is playing and let a potentially exceptional defense win games. But the Bears, typically, prefer to stand firm rather than toss in an extra million bucks and try to save a season.
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By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Troubled teams often make reckless moves and, with the Miami Dolphins desperate to fill their yawning hole at tailback, general manager Rick Spielman might now be forced to consider using defensive end Adewale Ogunleye as trade bait in his effort to replace the abruptly retired Ricky Williams.
Insider's Randy Mueller, who as GM of the Saints traded Ricky Williams to the Dolphins, isn't shocked by Ricky's decision to walk away from the game, citing a history of "off-the-wall decisions."
Mueller: Ricky predictably unpredictable
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The unsigned Ogunleye, coming off a breakthrough 2003 season in which he led the AFC in sacks, is an attractive bargaining chip who was quietly courted by several teams before the draft. Spielman could conceivably approach some of those teams, notably Minnesota and Chicago, about a deal. Both the Bears and Vikings, with solid tailback depth, could offer a solution to the Dolphins' need for a proven runner.
But in a twist nearly as mind-numbing as Williams' retirement, the agent for Ogunleye said Sunday that he now is more confident than at any time in recent months that his client will strike a deal that keeps him with the Dolphins.
"I don't have any [contract] proposals to back it up and, from a numbers standpoint, we haven't moved much from where we were [weeks ago]," agent Drew Rosenhaus said. "But I sense more urgency from both sides to get something done. You're right, in that the Ricky Williams development improves Adewale's situation, but it doesn't necessarily mean a trade."
Indeed, the Dolphins organization could react to Williams' retirement by deciding to fill from within or sign a veteran free agent, and simply try to compensate in part for his exit by getting better on the defensive side of the ball. But the Dolphins statistically rated No. 10 in overall defense in 2003 and, even by retaining Ogunleye, might not get significantly better than that this season.
Adewale Ogunleye
Defensive End
Miami Dolphins
Profile
2003 SEASON STATISTICS
Tot Ast Solo FF Sack Int
64 45 19 2 15 0
A restricted free agent, Ogunleye was granted the "high level" qualifying offer of $1.824 million by the Dolphins in February, a move that provided the team the right to match any offer he receives from another team. From the outset, however, Ogunleye has been seeking a long-term deal commensurate to those signed by other high-profile ends. When he did not sign the Miami qualifying offer by mid-April, the Dolphins, per their rights in the collective bargaining agreement, reduced their offer to $455,000.
That's where things have remained and,...-07-26-2004, 04:45 PM -
Smiley agrees to five-year deal with Dolphins
The free-agent signing period has barely started and the ***** have already lost a player.
Guard Justin Smiley has agreed to terms with the Dolphins on a five-year, $25 million contract than includes a $9 million signing bonus, he said. He is scheduled to fly to Miami early Friday morning to sign the contract and make it official.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity," Smiley said on the phone just moments ago. "Miami called as soon as they were able to call me and told me they'd like to have me down there. They called me right after it (free agency) started. They offered me that (contract). I feel very blessed. It feels good to have security. I want to go down there and give them every penny's worth and play hard for them."
Smiley said he is slated to play right guard for the Dolphins. Smiley resides in Ellabel, Ga., and attended Alabama.
"To me, it seems like a good fit, me being from the South," Smiley said. "There are a lot of other factors you have to weigh when you're considering a situation like this. I talked to them just a little while ago, and this is flattering that they came after me like this."
Smiley was a second-round pick of the ***** in 2004. He and the ***** were far apart in contract talks, dating back the past two seasons. He said he has not yet spoken to the *****.
"It's a bummer because those guys mean a lot to me," Smiley said. "Being around those other offensive linemen and the organization, it made a positive impact in my life. The fans of San Francisco, they're faithful. I always hoped I could be a 49er, but it didn't work out."
Smiley started all 32 games in 2005 and '06. He played most of the '06 season with a torn left labrum. He sustained a dislocated right shoulder in the eighth game last season and had season-ending surgery Nov. 13. He probably will not take part in any contact until training camp, as a precaution.
Smiley will undoubtedly have to pass a physical with the Dolphins. He said that should be no problem, as his rehabilitation is ahead of schedue.-02-28-2008, 11:27 PM -
BEARS QUIETLY SHOPPING BRIGGS
Although teams technically aren't allowed to use the franchise tag solely as a means to obtain trade value for a player who is eligible for unrestricted free agency, there's growing talk/speculation in league circles that the Chicago Bears don't plan to keep linebacker Lance Briggs, and that they applied the franchise to him for the sole purpose of facilitating a trade.
Per a league source, the Bears have talked with several teams about a trade for Briggs. The veteran outside linebacker, who has become a star in the Tampa Two defense, technically will not be under contract until he signs the one-year tender offer that the team has extended to him.
This means that Briggs can skip the entire offseason, training camp, and the preseason before reporting, while still receiving the full amount of the $7.2 million that will be guaranteed as soon as he signs it.-02-25-2007, 05:52 AM
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