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LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears on Monday agreed to terms on a one-year contract with tight end Michael Gaines.
The 6-4, 277-pounder has appeared in 73 games with 41 starts in five NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers (2004-06), Buffalo Bills (2007) and Detroit Lions (2008).
A strong inline blocker, Gaines has caught 79 passes for 810 yards and 5 touchdowns. Last season he had 23 receptions for a career-high 260 yards and 1 TD in 16 games with six starts.
Gaines entered the NFL in 2004 as a seventh-round pick (232nd overall) with the Panthers.

WAYSA wrote:Gaines is going to play some FB.

Here is a look at how the Bears did last season and how the Lions performed in the same situations. Yes, we know Gaines wasn't the reason for the success or failure of each play, but it's an interesting comparison when you consider the Bears had a strong young back in Matt Forte and the Lions were one of the worst outfits ever assembled.

Third-and-one
Bears 17-for-25, 68.0 percent
Lions 13-for-19, 68.4 percent

Third-and-two
Bears 8-for-19, 42.1 percent
Lions 8-for-11, 72.7 percent

Fourth-and-one
Bears 6-for-10, 60 percent (all 10 attempts were rushing)
Lions 3-for-5, 60 percent (2-for-3 when attempts were rushing)

"Man, I’m just willing to play football,’’ he said. ``I’m a football player.

"It’s different when people really want you. You go out and cut off your leg for them. The Bears want me. They have a plan for me. And that’s all you can ask for as a player. I can’t wait to get in on Monday, meet with the coaches and see what they do.’’

dingojazz wrote:Thinking about this a little more I'm really convinced that Kellen Davis is on his way out the door. He is really talented, but the role for a 3rd TE on this team is that of a blocker. Davis has the size, but must not have shown that he can push the pile in short yardage situations.

I wonder if we can showcase him a little as a receiver in the preseason, and then trade him for maybe a 4th round pick. Would be better than just releasing him.

Cliff Levingston wrote:

dingojazz wrote:Thinking about this a little more I'm really convinced that Kellen Davis is on his way out the door. He is really talented, but the role for a 3rd TE on this team is that of a blocker. Davis has the size, but must not have shown that he can push the pile in short yardage situations.

I wonder if we can showcase him a little as a receiver in the preseason, and then trade him for maybe a 4th round pick. Would be better than just releasing him.

Word up. We've already got a great and young receiving tight end in Greg Olsen and a good all-around tight end (albeit getting old) Desmond Clark. The logical skill set for our 3rd tight end is a great blocker, not another receiver.

It would be nice if we could find a trade for Davis though, but we'll never get a 4th for him; maybe a 6th.

Icness wrote:Kellen Davis has to prove himself on special teams very quickly. Gaines has value there--he's been the backup long snapper his entire career and he's good on FG and PAT units. Their hands are probably a push and they are absolutely fighting for the same roster spot.

Gaines is very effective on 3rd and short situations but other than that he basically offers nothing. He can in-line block and he excels at chipping the DE and then floating behind him for the 4-yard reception. He's probably slower than Orlando Pace though.

By: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 5/11/2009 5:09 PM


LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears on Monday agreed to terms on a one-year contract with tight end Michael Gaines.


Michael Gaines
The 6-4, 277-pounder has appeared in 73 games with 41 starts in five NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers (2004-06), Buffalo Bills (2007) and Detroit Lions (2008).

Gaines is a strong inline blocker who’s athletic enough to also line up at fullback. He is similar in playing style to ex-Bears tight end John Gilmore and could fill the same type of role.

“It’s an unreal moment for me right now, just because of who the Bears are, what the organization is and the winning tradition,” Gaines said. “It feels good in that aspect.”

Gaines has caught 79 career passes for 810 yards and 5 touchdowns. Last season he had 23 receptions for a career-high 260 yards and 1 TD in 16 games with six starts for the winless Lions.

Gaines, who entered the NFL in 2004 as a seventh-round pick (232nd overall) with the Panthers, was also drawing free-agent interest from the New York Jets. But he chose to sign with the Bears, even though he will be behind Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen on the depth chart.

“I never thought I’d be playing for Chicago because of the situation they have,” said Gaines, a 29-year-old Central Florida product. “But this is a privilege that they see me in so many different ways.

“The Bears had a plan for me. You can’t beat that when people have a goal and a plan mapped out for you at your position. If you put both [the Bears and Jets] together and looked at them on paper, the Jets made sense. But like I said, the Bears had a plan for me and there was just something about Chicago.”

The Bears went to more double tight-end sets in 2008 with Desmond Clark and Greg Olson and the result was less playing time for Jason McKie, who missed five games with a quad injury. The expectation with the arrival of quarterback Jay Cutler is that the Bears will continue as is or perhaps use the position even less. It seems fullbacks are less involved every year when you look across the landscape of the league. McKie was a dependable outlet in short-yardage and goalline situations until his usage became predictable. The Bears consider McKie to be an above-average fullback and he has some value for them on special teams.

The biggest debate here may be what could turn into a roster battle between Davis and running backs Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe. Given Wolfe's value on special teams last season, that could quickly become a battle between Davis and Peterson for one of the final 53 spots. The Bears began last season with four running backs and one fullback, bringing Davis in on their practice squad before he was eventually promoted. A lot of teams carry just three running backs on their 53. McKie is back to full strength from what was a pretty good quad muscle pull. He's been pretty durable appearing in 42 games over the last three seasons. Given how little the Bears are expected to use the position, it wouldn't be a surprise if they go with just one fullback. But Peterson will have to show more entering the final year of his contract.

UPDATED: Contract for TE Michael Gaines can reach $1.25 million

Brad Biggs
on May 11, 2009

Michael Gaines' deal with the Bears can be worth as much as $1.25 million if he hits the bonuses and incentives in the one-year contract.

Gaines will receive the minimum in base pay for the veteran at $620,000, but he can trigger the other money in the contract.

It's a prove-it deal for the tight end, who could also be used on occasion as a blocker coming out of the backfield.

Getting released following the draft by the Detroit Lions did not put Gaines in a good position, agent Tony Agnone agreed. But the one-year deal allows Gaines to show the Bears what he can do to work toward an extension with them. Otherwise, the contract puts him back in free agency at a more opportune time--when it's beginning.

"That meant a lot to me how the Bears recruited me,'' Gaines said. "So it was a no brainer for me."

SportsWorld wrote:I know this probably isn't realistic but could the Bears be potentially setting up for a Boldin trade?