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Bears in Brief: Agent vows close contact over free agents plus Harris
:: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Bears

 Bears in Brief: Agent vows close contact over free agents plus Harris



February 23, 2008
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs at suntimes.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- Even if the Bears can't reach agreements with Bernard
Berrian, Lance Briggs and Brendon Ayanbadejo before free agency opens
next Friday, the sides will remain in close contact.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus was upbeat about the situation Friday morning
after a lengthy meeting Thursday with general manager Jerry Angelo.

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''We're talking to them on all four guys [including defensive tackle
Tommie Harris], and it's ongoing,'' Rosenhaus said. ''I don't want to
characterize our negotiations, but if we do not get something done
before free agency opens, we will continue to communicate with them
during free agency.''

The Bears are hopeful of re-signing the three impending free agents,
as well as reaching a new deal with Harris, who is signed through
2008.

With $30 million in available cap space, the Bears could devote a
chunk of it to Harris. He is seeking to become the league's
highest-paid tackle and wants a deal in line with the contract
Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney received: $72 million
over six seasons. Freeney will be paid $37.72 million over the first
three years of his deal, and it's believed Harris has targeted $40
million.

''That's not a backburner issue with Tommie,'' Rosenhaus said. ''We'd
like to get a deal done for Tommie as soon as possible.''

The Bears also hope to bring back tight end John Gilmore, who has
distinguished himself as the best blocker at that position the last
several seasons. But he's expected to enter free agency and see what
is out there, similar to two years ago, when he visited Oakland and
the Bears matched a two-year contract with a $500,000 signing bonus.

''I know they want me back,'' Gilmore said. ''As far as the money
issue, I don't know where they're at. I spoke with Lovie [Smith] and
made it pretty clear I want to stay here. I will give them the
opportunity to match any deal on the table. They deserve that. But if
I do a deal, I want to finish my career here.''
Top of the class

Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall has made a fast rise since the start of
the college season and now is considered by some to be the best
running back available.

''That's where I see myself,'' he said. ''But as far as what is going
to happen and where I am projected, that is not under my control. All
I can do is present myself well and do well at the combine. From then
on, the NFL teams have got to decide that.''

Mendenhall said he will participate in all of the drills this week and
hopes to boost his stock with a sub-4.5 40-yard dash. He said one of
the benefits of coming out as a junior is that his body will be
fresher, having not endured the pounding of another college season.

''[My rise] did happen quick, but I wouldn't say I wasn't expecting
it,'' he said. ''I knew I had to wait my turn, and I knew whenever it
happened, I would present myself and I'd be able to have this
opportunity and be at this level. I was able to do it.''
Hesterized

LSU running back Jacob Hester hears it all the time.

''He's my cousin,'' Hester, no relation to Devin, cracked Friday.
''People always mess with me and say, 'Man, your cousin did good
today.' I got a chance to meet him at the NFL players party during the
Super Bowl week. I told him that joke, and he thought it was pretty
funny.

''I actually played against him once in the Peach Bowl in 2005. We
were going to switch jerseys at the end of the game, and then there
was a big brawl at the end of the game, so that kind of went down the
tubes.''