[CBFF] Bears commit to Rex for 2008 but want Orton through 2010 :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Mike Mulligan - Sent Using Google Toolbar

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Bears commit to Rex for 2008 but want Orton through 2010 :: CHICAGO
SUN-TIMES :: Mike Mulligan

 Bears commit to Rex for 2008 but want Orton through 2010
 Angelo says he has a method to ensure greater success in draft


February 24, 2008
BY MIKE MULLIGAN mmulligan at suntimes.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Bears moved to stabilize their quarterback
position Saturday, signing Rex Grossman to a one-year contract while,
perhaps more important, opening negotiations with Kyle Orton on what
is believed to be a two-year extension of his rookie contract, which
expires after next season.

Grossman penned a one-year deal for $3 million with a chance to earn
up to $5 million depending on how he does in a competition with Orton
for the starting job. The Bears don't want both players hitting the
free-agent market after next season, so it makes sense to extend
Orton's deal. A source close to him said negotiations were in full
swing Saturday night and a deal likely would be announced in the next
two days.

Right now, Brian Griese is the only quarterback under contract beyond
next season, and he's likely to be cut next week. The Bears are
projected to draft a quarterback in April and don't want the unknown
rookie -- Chad Henne? Joe Flacco? -- to be the only QB under contract
beyond next season.

Bringing back Grossman and extending Orton fall in line with the
team's stated philosophy of re-signing its own players. The Bears also
have made offers to Lance Briggs and Bernard Berrian, who hit the
market Feb. 29, and are trying to extend Tommie Harris, who has
another year left. The Bears also recently signed Alex Brown to a
two-year extension.

''You want to get it started,'' coach Lovie Smith said of the flurry
of activity. ''We have quite a few guys we'd like to see in the mix at
other positions. Hopefully, this will get us a little momentum going,
and we can sign us some of the other guys, too.''

Indeed, these moves could create a sense of urgency. Guys start
worrying when the money starts disappearing. As far as quarterback is
concerned, with few options on the open market, signing Grossman to
play in the same scheme creates stability for 2008, while extending
Orton offers the same for 2009.

Generally speaking, teams like to determine the identity of a player
within three years of drafting him. Grossman was given more time
because injuries ruined his second and third seasons. But the Bears
still were uncertain enough after their Super Bowl run that he was
allowed to play out the fifth year of his rookie deal last season.
Giving him another year may confuse some, but the team insists he'll
have to battle Orton for the job.

Members of Orton's camp were led to believe, right up to the Grossman
signing, that their guy was going to be the starter next year. Now
it's a competition.

''I feel good about both guys,'' offensive coordinator Ron Turner
said. ''Both will get reps with the [starters] and both get reps with
the [backups], and let's go.''

Angelo said the Bears haven't tried to lock up Grossman long-term
because they want to see more consistency. After ''some really great
moments'' in his first full year as a starter in 2006, Grossman ''hit
a bit of a tailspin,'' Angelo said. He lost his starter's job to
Griese in '07, then returned to it when Griese was injured.

''I thought when he came back and had time to reflect, he started to
show some very good things in terms of the consistency,'' Angelo said.
''He got hurt at the tail end. The silver lining with that, we got a
chance to take a look at Kyle, and Kyle showed some pretty good
things.''

It will be interesting to see how the perception of the two players
changes when Orton is assured of being around beyond next year and
Grossman is facing another one-or-done season. It will be especially
interesting if the Bears invest a fairly high draft pick in another
quarterback.

''This is the best position we've been in at this stage of the season,
so you have to feel good about that,'' Smith said. ''That is not to
say we're done [at quarterback]. We have all of the offseason to still
try and add ... We're still trying to add at a lot of positions.''