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LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears on Wednesday bolstered their offensive line by agreeing to terms with free agent tackle Kevin Shaffer on a three-year contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Shaffer, who turned 29 earlier this month, is a seven-year veteran who started 47 of 48 games the past three seasons with the Cleveland Browns.

The 6-5, 315-pounder signed with the Browns in 2006 as an unrestricted free agent after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.

Shafer is expected to compete for the starting right tackle position in Chicago. His addition will give the Bears flexibility both in terms of where to play fellow free-agent acquisition Frank Omiyale as well as in the April 25-26 NFL draft.

The Bears had initially planned to have Omiyale compete at left guard, but they shifted him to right tackle on the second day of minicamp last week after veteran free agent John St. Clair bolted the team to sign with the Browns. In essence, the Bears traded St. Clair for Shaffer.

After starting at left tackle for Cleveland in 2006, Shaffer lined up at right tackle in 2007 and '08, missing only one game during that three-year span due to an injury. A salary cap casualty, he was cut by the Browns on March 12.

Shaffer was selected by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 2002 draft (244th overall) out of Tulsa.

He appeared in 53 games with 39 starts for Atlanta, with 31 of those starts coming in 2004 and '05 when the Falcons led the NFL in rushing. In a divisional playoff win over the St. Louis Rams on Jan. 15, 2005, Shaffer was part of a line that helped Atlanta set an NFL postseason rushing record with 327 yards.

Comment: Shaffer was signed two years ago to be Cleveland's starting left tackle. That experiment failed and after Joe Thomas was drafted, Shaffer moved to the right side, which clearly fits him much better. Shaffer is very strong and has the size and skill set needed to best play on the right side. On the left side, his athletic ability was exposed, but he has performed admirably on the right side because he doesn't have to consistently face elite speed-rushers. Shaffer also greatly benefited from the emergence of Thomas at left tackle because the Browns are able to give him help, if he is overmanned. He isn't very nimble or fluid, but does work hard. His pad level is a problem and he lacks the ability to consistently play the game low. He is a powerful man and pushes defensive linemen backwards as a power blocker. He is a thumper who plays to the whistle and is bright enough to get the most out of his physical abilities. There isn't much upside here, but Shaffer is certainly good enough to win with, especially with an elite talent like Thomas on the other side.

Friend_Of_Haley wrote:Looks like OL won't be a concern for Angelo going into the draft. He may grab one in rounds 5-7 or take someone if they are BPA, but looks like we'll definitely be going WR in round one.

Lake Forest, IL (Sports Network) - The Chicago Bears on Wednesday agreed to terms on a three-year contract with tackle Kevin Shaffer. Financial terms of the deal were not announced.

The 29-year-old Shaffer started 15 games at right tackle in 2008 for the Browns on an offensive line that allowed just 24 sacks, good for eighth fewest in the NFL. The Tulsa product started in all 16 games for Cleveland the previous two seasons, having started at left tackle during the 2006 campaign.

The 6-foot-5, 315-pounder was originally a seventh-round selection by Atlanta in the 2002 NFL Draft before signing with Cleveland in 2006. Over seven NFL seasons Shaffer has played in 100 contests, including 86 starts.

Sacks Allowed

1. Ryan Diem (Colts) 1.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
1. Jon Stinchcomb (Saints) 1.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
1. Ray Willis (Seahawks) 1.5 sacks allowed (10 starts)
4. David Stewart (Titans) 2.0 sacks allowed (16 starts)
4. Mark Tauscher (Packers) 2.0 sacks allowed (13 starts)
6. Ryan Harris (Broncos) 2.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
6. Tyson Clabo (Falcons) 2.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
8. Langston Walker (Bills) 3.0 sacks allowed (16 starts)
8. Nick Kaczur (Pats) 3.0 sacks allowed (14 starts)
10. Willie Anderson (Ravens) 3.5 sacks allowed (11 starts)
11. Kareem McKenzie (Giants) 4.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
11. Vernon Carey (Dolphins) 4.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
11. Kevin Shaffer (Browns) 4.5 sacks allowed (15 starts)
14. Jeff Otah (Panthers) 5.0 sacks allowed (12 starts)
15. Tony Pashos (Jags) 5.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
15. Marc Colombo (Cowboys) 5.5 sacks allowed (16 starts)
17. Willie Colon (Steelers) 5.75 sacks allowed (16 starts) …RFA
18. John Tait (Bears) 6.0 sacks allowed (16 starts)

2 False starts and 5 holding calls

dingojazz wrote:From Scouts Inc prior to last year...

Comment: Shaffer was signed two years ago to be Cleveland's starting left tackle. That experiment failed and after Joe Thomas was drafted, Shaffer moved to the right side, which clearly fits him much better. Shaffer is very strong and has the size and skill set needed to best play on the right side. On the left side, his athletic ability was exposed, but he has performed admirably on the right side because he doesn't have to consistently face elite speed-rushers. Shaffer also greatly benefited from the emergence of Thomas at left tackle because the Browns are able to give him help, if he is overmanned. He isn't very nimble or fluid, but does work hard. His pad level is a problem and he lacks the ability to consistently play the game low. He is a powerful man and pushes defensive linemen backwards as a power blocker. He is a thumper who plays to the whistle and is bright enough to get the most out of his physical abilities. There isn't much upside here, but Shaffer is certainly good enough to win with, especially with an elite talent like Thomas on the other side.

John St. Clair Grade: 62 | Key
Alert: None

St. Clair had a solid season on the left side of the Bears' offensive line in 2008. He is a nine-year veteran with good size, strength and above-average athleticism. He has good initial quickness to gain leverage in pass protection as well as run blocking. He has good pop and power on contact when he uses proper knee bend. He will cross over at times when he is out of position and needs to be consistent with his technique. He is a solid reactor as plays develop and changes defensive fronts. He understands angles and combination blocks to get movement off the line of scrimmage. He isn't always nimble on the second level, but once engaged he can lock on and stay connected. He has decent hand use and quickness early in the play, but needs to finish better. St. Clair is a solid football player coming off his ninth year in the league, but isn't an explosive dominating lineman you can build your offense around..

Kevin Shaffer did his homework when it came to joining the Bears, checking in with Roberto Garza, a former teammate in Atlanta. He liked the situation the Bears presented and ultimately moved to sign with them even though he was getting interest elsewhere, including from the Cincinnati Bengals.

In the AFC North, Shaffer faced a slew of talented pass rushers playing right tackle last season, including Baltimore's Terrell Suggs and Pittsburgh's James Harrison, the defensive player of the year. Stats Inc. had him allowing 4 1/2 sacks over the season. Although that is an impossible statistic to truly track, consider Stats had John St. Clair surrendering 9 1/2 last season at left tackle for the Bears, half to Minnesota's Jared Allen.

Here is what Shaffer had to say this afternoon about joining the Bears. He will sign his contract Thursday after undergoing a physical.

Q&A

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON JOINING THE BEARS?

KS: It feels great. I'm glad we were able to work something out. It's something we were talking about for a while and I am definitely excited.

IS YOUR GOAL TO COME IN AND WIN THE RIGHT TACKLE JOB AS SOON AS POSSIBLE?

KS: The goal is to come in and win a starting job. We haven't talked too much about that, or at length or anything. We came up with the deal and I am going to hear out there [Thursday] and sign the deal. But when I get there I want to show them what I can do. I have always been a hard worker and I am in a situation where I am going to prove myself. I have always been a hard worker. The goal, obviously, is to win a starting job but no matter what happens I'm going to give everything I've got and show them what I am made of.

YOU'RE A GUY WHO HAS MISSED JUST TWO STARTS THE LAST FIVE SEASONS. IS THAT KIND OF TRACK RECORD IMPORTANT TO YOU?

KS: I had a nice streak going and I missed one game there. That's one thing I have been able to do, I've played in a bunch of games. I came to realize if you're a full-time starter in this league you're going to have some aches and pains and problems here and there. It's playing through that and playing at a high level. I hope to be able to continue to do that for several more years.

HOW DID IT END IN CLEVELAND WITH THEM RELEASING YOU BEFORE A ROSTER BONUS WAS DUE?

KS: We were talking to them for a couple of days before the bonus was due. We tried to work something out and at the end I just didn't feel comfortable with the situation. They had a decent offer [for a restructured contract] on the table but for whatever reason we just didn't feel comfortable with the situation. I didn't know what was going on [with the new regime] and where that was going.

WAS IT A SITUATION WHERE THEY JUST WANTED TO TRIM TOO MUCH SALARY?

KS: It was a whole new situation with the deal they wanted. It didn't make us feel good about the situation overall. But it was a decent deal.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU PLAYED IN ATLANTA WITH ROBERTO GARZA, WHO YOU COULD PLAY ALONGSIDE HERE. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE BEARS?

KS: Everything I have heard has been positive. I played next to Roberto with the Falcons and I thought he was an awesome player, very strong in the weight room. We worked together and had a competitive nature there and on the field. We were good friends. Everything he has said has been very positive. Lennie Friedman, who used to play for the Bears, we are good friends and he filled me in on the coaches and the city and the scheme. Everything has been very positive.

In the end, the Bears wound up swapping right tackles.

The Bears agreed to terms with Kevin Shaffer on a three-year contract today after the Cleveland Browns released him as their starting right tackle on March 12. Ex-Bear John St. Clair, expected to start at right tackle had he re-signed, joined the Browns instead after Shaffer was released.

``I'm not bitter about how things went down in Cleveland,'' Shaffer said. ``I'm just excited about this new opportunity, about working with a new coaching staff.''

Shaffer plans to drive from south Cleveland to Chicago Wednesday night along with his wife and two kids. He will sign his contract on Thursday.

Shaffer receives $2 million guaranteed in the first year of the contract, according to an NFL source. The contract could be worth up to $8 million. He is due to make $2.75 million for the 2009 season.

By comparison, St. Clair signed a three-year, $9.1 million deal with the Browns that included $1.25 million guaranteed.

Shaffer, 29, reunites with Roberto Garza, a former teammate with the Atlanta Falcons.

Shaffer could compete for a starting role with last year's starting right tackle, John Tait, now retired.The Bears signed Frank Omiyale from the Carolina Panthers with plans of using Omiyale at guard, but Omiyale switched to right tackle on the second day of mini-camp after St. Clair bolted for the Browns.

Omiyale said he prefers to play tackle, so it will be interesting to see how this plays out. He actually was a backup tackle with the Falcons while Shaffer started there.

This move might indicate that the Bears are going with a receiver in the first round of the draft, but drafting a tackle still appears to be in the works.

Shaffer spent three seasons with the Browns and started 31 games at right tackle, 16 at left tackle. He was a seventh-round draft choice of the Falcons in 2002 coming out of Tulsa, Lovie Smith's former school.

Shaffer's agent, Alan Herman, talked with Bears general manager Jerry Angelo shortly after Shaffer got released by the Browns. Shaffer was scheduled to visit a couple of AFC teams after the owners meetings concluded but opted instead to relocate to the NFC North.