[CBFF] Bears' Brown just exploring trade possibilities

[Jerry Madsen]

Bears' Brown just exploring trade possibilities

Associated Press

Updated: May 16, 2007, 9:49 PM ET

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CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bears expect to see starting defensive end Alex
Brown at their minicamp this weekend even though Brown says he's
seeking a trade.

Brown told Sirius NFL Radio on Wednesday that he asked the Bears for
permission to work out a trade. But coach Lovie Smith plans to have
Brown at the three-day minicamp beginning Friday.

"I just know we have a minicamp coming up this weekend and Alex has
been working awful hard with our program," Smith said. "We'll see him
there this weekend working out with us. So that's about all I can tell
you right now."

Brown admitted he's comfortable with the Bears, but is eager to
explore other opportunities. Still, he has three years remaining on
his contract.

"We're just trying to see what's out there," Brown said. "That's what
we're trying to do. It's not the Bears. They don't want to get rid of
me. It's just that I want to see what else is out there.

"If it was up to me I'd get a new contract here and play the rest of
my career here. I totally understand some of the things the Bears are
saying. We're handling this in a real low-key fashion and that's the
way we want to keep it."

Brown had seven sacks last season in a very effective line rotation
that helped Chicago reach the Super Bowl, where it lost to
Indianapolis.

A fourth-round pick out of Florida in 2002, Brown signed a contract
extension in 2004. He said when he broached the subject of a trade,
the Bears told him, "No way. We love you. We don't want to get rid of
you."

Added Brown: "It took a while to even get them to talk about it."

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

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