[CBFF] Bears sign WR Lloyd

[Jerry Madsen]

March 7, 2008

Bears sign WR Brandon Lloyd to one-year contract

By Larry Mayer

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The chance to reunite with former college coach
Ron Turner made the Bears an attractive destination for free-agent
wide receiver Brandon Lloyd.

The sixth-year pro, who played for Turner when Chicago's offensive
coordinator was head coach at the University of Illinois, signed a
one-year contract with the Bears on Friday.


Receiver Brandon Lloyd spent the past two seasons with the Washington Redskins.
"It means a lot as far as the trust factor and coach Ron knowing the
things that I'm able to do and believing in me," Lloyd said. "That
gives me a lot of confidence."

Lloyd joins the Bears after catching 130 passes for 1,889 yards and 13
touchdowns in five NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (2003-05)
and Washington Redskins (2006-07).

The 26-year-old had just two receptions for 14 yards in eight games
last season with the Redskins before being placed on injured Nov. 15
after breaking his collarbone in practice. He was released by
Washington on Feb. 26.

Lloyd entered the NFL as a fourth-round draft pick with the 49ers. The
6-foot, 200-pounder was traded to the Redskins on March 11, 2006 in
exchange for a third-round pick in 2006 and a fourth-round selection
in 2007.

"Brandon's a playmaker," Turner said. "I recruited him out of high
school and was with him for three years at Illinois. He was very
productive down there, so I've got a good feel for what he can do.

"[Receivers coach] Darryl Drake and I went back and looked at all his
film as we do with any available free agent and feel he can still play
and that hopefully he can come in and be a good fit with the receivers
that we have here right now."

Having Turner to lean on should help Lloyd, who has had some
behavioral issues in his NFL career. He was criticized by teammates
for his attitude in San Francisco and had to be disciplined on more
than one occasion in Washington.

"The past two teams that I've been on, it hasn't been the smoothest
ride in the world," Lloyd said. "To really have somebody in my corner
who really believes in me and has known me since I was 17 years old
and really knows the foundation of what kind of person I am, it means
a lot."

Lloyd vowed Friday to work hard and earn the respect of his coaches
and teammates in Chicago.

"The best thing that I can do for myself is just come in and work," he
said. "I'm just going to continue to try to find my fit and try to
find my path in this league because I feel I have the talent to play
and I'm going to continue to play until I reach my goal.

"I'm not going to say it all wasn't my fault and it was all somebody
else's fault. But I just look forward to not necessarily starting with
a clean slate but coming in and earning my spot and just getting the
opportunities that I feel I deserve and really stepping up and making
those plays and helping the team win. That's really all it comes down
to.

"I just want to come in and play and help this team get better no
matter what role coach Lovie [Smith] or coach Ron puts me in. I want
to earn my spot and pull my weight on this football team."

Lloyd signed with the Bears just three days after fellow wideout Marty
Booker agreed to a two-year contract to rejoin his former team. Turner
has yet to define roles for his receivers, but his eager to see how
Lloyd and Booker will fit in.

"When they get in here, we'll start teaching them the offense and get
them comfortable with everything," Turner said. "We've got a good feel
for what they can do. But we want to see them in the offseason in the
OTAs and the minicamps working with our quarterbacks and fitting in
with the other guys that we have."