[CBFF] Harris trade adds veteran presence to Panthers' secondary

[mactbone]

Define starter quality. Didn't the Bears just get Walker for a fifth?
-Chris


----- Original Message ----
From: Jerry Madsen <jerrywm at gmail.com>
To: CBFF <post at chicagobearsfanforum.com>
Sent: Friday, August 3, 2007 8:01:47 AM
Subject: [CBFF] Harris trade adds veteran presence to Panthers' secondary


I suppose a 5th round pick is market value, but considering he is a
starting caliber safety, I would expect at least a 4th rounder.

Jerry

----------------------------------------------


Thursday, August 2, 2007
Harris trade adds veteran presence to Panthers' secondary
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Finally filling their need for another
experienced safety, the Carolina Panthers on Thursday afternoon
acquired two-year veteran Chris Harris from the Chicago Bears for a
fifth-round choice in the 2008 draft.

"According to our scouts and coaches he's an instinctive player, and
we feel he can come in here and compete," Panthers general manager
Marty Hurney said.

Carolina has been deliberating much of the offseason over whether to
add another experienced safety, and a Wednesday knee injury to
second-year veteran Nate Salley may have prompted general manager
Marty Hurney to make a move. The Panthers were already thin at the
position before Salley was injured. Salley played in only eight games
as a rookie in 2006, mostly on special teams, but was starting
alongside Mike Minter in the secondary during the early days of
training camp.

"You always hate to give up a draft pick, but we've said all along we
would be looking at safeties, because it was a need position," said
coach John Fox following Thursday afternoon's practice.

Salley did not practice Thursday and, while his injury is not believed
to be serious, there is no definitive timetable for his return.

It is not yet known when Harris, the Bears' sixth-round pick in 2005,
will arrive here to join his new teammates.

Minter was the team's lone veteran safety of consequence, and the
10-year veteran, who has played both safety spots during his career in
Carolina, has already announced he will retire after this season.

The Panthers opted not to re-sign veteran Shaun Williams, who started
with Minter in 2006, and lost Colin Branch in free agency.

Chicago has a surplus at safety, having acquired Adam Archuleta in a
trade and gotten Mike Brown back to health, making Harris expendable.
The Bears' coaches like Harris' aggressiveness, but felt he would not
get much playing time now given the glut at the position.

"I think we're fortunate the Bears have a real surplus at that
position," Hurney said. "Chris is a guy that we feel can come in here,
compete and help us."

A former Louisiana-Monroe standout, Harris is solidly built (6 feet
tall, 205 pounds), and a good hitter. He was fined $7,500 last
December for what the league viewed as overaggressiveness in a game
against Minnesota.

In 25 games, including 20 starts, Harris has 112 tackles, five
interceptions, eight passes defensed, one sack and one fumble
recovery.

Senior writer Len Pasquarelli covers the NFL for ESPN.com. Information
from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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