[CBFF] ESPN - DT Adams will sign a four-year contract with Bears

[Jason Cetina]

Heh. Bad news for Tank Johnson. My guess is that his release is days
aways.

On Sun, 2007-03-25 at 20:31 -0400, Jerry Madsen wrote:
> Updated: March 25, 2007, 7:47 PM ET
> Adams will sign a four-year contract with Bears
> By Len Pasquarelli
> ESPN.com
> 
> 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.
> 
> Defensive tackle Anthony Adams was ranked No. 25 on ESPN.com's list of
> the top 30 free agents available this offseason.
> 
> 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.
> 
> Len Pasquarelli and John Clayton are a senior writers for ESPN.com