[CBFF] ST - Signing Hollings won't affect Jones

Sun May 7 08:34:26 MDT 2006

Signing Hollings won't affect Jones

May 6, 2006

The first thing that came to mind Friday when the
Bears announced they had signed running back Tony
Hollings to a two-year contract was whether it
affected the future of Thomas Jones.

Suffice to say, that was the last thing on the mind of
running backs coach Tim Spencer, who pointed out the
Bears need five running backs to go to training camp.

''[Jones] was our starter last year,'' Spencer said.
''There ain't no question we've got to have Thomas.
That's why I am saying I hope everything gets squared
away so I can get my man back.''

Jones remains absent at Halas Hall, where the team has
had voluntary workouts four days a week for almost a
month. He's not required to show up until the
full-team minicamp set for next month. General manager
Jerry Angelo fielded some calls about Jones before the
draft, but it was nothing more than that -- talk.

Now, it seems the Bears want to get Jones back in the
fold, especially if you listen to Spencer.

''I know he hasn't been there, but I know Thomas, and
he is working out,'' Spencer said. ''In terms of him
being ready, I know he will be ready to go. Hopefully
whatever is going on, and I honestly don't know,
hopefully it will be worked out.

''Thomas does a lot of the stuff that other guys don't
want to do, a lot of that dirty work. It was a lot of
that stuff you can't coach that makes you look like a
good coach.''

Hollings had the Bears' attention when he came out of
Georgia Tech in the supplemental draft in 2003. They
bid a third-round pick on him but Houston got him with
a second-round pick. He played in 23 games over the
last three seasons with the Texans before being
released in February. Had the Bears gotten him then,
they were planning to place him on the physically
unable to perform list because of a knee
reconstruction, and the Texans might have rushed him
on to the field in '03.

Cracking the 53-man roster might be a long shot, but
the Bears will be able to better evaluate him and find
out if he can help on special teams, something they
demand of their reserve running backs. Hollings, who
is expected to join the offseason workout program
Monday, was arrested in Houston on Jan. 3 and charged
with carrying a gun without a permit following a
traffic stop.

CHANCE OF A LIFETIME: Coach Lovie Smith put it out in
plain terms to the more than 40 players who were at
Halas Hall for the rookie minicamp -- the opportunity
is yours. With almost two dozen players in on a tryout
basis, Smith pointed out the Bears had one of those
stick last season, Brandon McGowan, as well as an
Arena League refugee in Rashied Davis.

That message was clear to tight end hopeful Zach
Puchtel, who last played football four years ago at
Harvard. Puchtel later transferred to Minnesota where
he played basketball and started some this past season
for the Golden Gophers. He's the latest in the hoops
to gridiron rage started by All-Pros Tony Gonzalez and
Antonio Gates.

Puchtel, 6-6, 250 pounds, was going to return to
Harvard to finish his degree because the school will
not accept transfer credits from Minnesota, but
started getting calls a little more than a month ago
asking him if he was interested in giving football a
try.

''I understand the possibility isn't that great,'' he
said. ''But there is a shot and I had to take it.''

bbiggs at suntimes.com

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