Tommie Harris Gets $40 Million Extension From Bears
The Chicago Bears waited until the true offseason to deliver their biggest news since the end of a calamitous 2007.
Hours after the team officially broke for a five-week summer break before training camp begins, a contract extension for three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tommie Harris was finalized, ensuring a centerpiece of the defense will remain intact through 2012.
Harris signed a four-year extension Thursday night that will pay him $40 million in new money, with $27 million coming in the first three years. The deal guarantees him $17 million and ensures he will not receive the franchise tag, which would have been a near certainty after this season if he wasn’t signed.
After missing organized team activities earlier this week, Harris attended the team bowling function in the morning while agent Drew Rosenhaus secured an agreement with contract negotiator Cliff Stein. It was Rosenhaus’ fourth trip to Halas Hall in the last two months and second in nine days. Harris went in to sign the contract after 8 p.m.
Harris had a career-high eight sacks last year despite playing nearly the entire season on a bad left knee on which he had arthroscopic surgery in January. Harris, who had surgery to repair his hamstring the year before, knew he needed to stay on the field for the purposes of negotiations and gutted it out. He was in a tough position, too, playing next to four different starters as the team couldn’t keep anyone healthy at nose tackle.
Harris admitted last month he was resigned to playing under the franchise tag in 2009 unless a Jared Allen-type trade could be worked out to pay him the big money he was seeking. But Rosenhaus, who brokered Lance Briggs’ $36 million contract in March, pushed the deal through and possibly started a little momentum for the Bears, who have more business to do.
The deal is short of the $50 million total and $30 million guaranteed Harris had been hoping to land with a four-year extension, but it surpasses the seven-year, $50.5 million contract less heralded Tommy Kelly received from the Oakland Raiders in February. In terms of average annual salary and payout over the first three years, Harris is the highest-paid interior lineman in the league. Now 25, he’ll be approaching his 30th birthday when he’s eligible for free agency again, giving him another bite at the apple providing his body holds up.
The next priority for the Bears involves an extension for wide receiver/kick returner Devin Hester, and linebacker Brian Urlacher’s situation needs to be resolved, too. With four years remaining on his $56.65 million contract, Urlacher is seeking a raise and missed nearly the entire offseason program, including the final day of OTAs and the bowling outing. But the team has been in frequent contact with his agents, who also represent first-round pick Chris Williams.
Locking up Hester well beyond 2009, when his rookie contract expires, is paramount. The Bears have ongoing discussions with agent Eugene Parker, but nothing is imminent. It’s a complicated matter. There never has been a returner like Hester, and his skills as a receiver remain unknown.
Hester, who has scored more touchdowns over the last two seasons than anyone else on the team, probably would like to work off the six-year, $42 million contract that Rosenhaus got for Bernard Berrian with the Minnesota Vikings.
- Brad Biggs, Chicago Sun Times
