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Bears players would love to land Plaxico Burress
TALENT FIRST | If Angelo adds WR, Bears see no trouble from Burress

June 4, 2009
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com

Jerry Angelo's door remains open when it comes to adding a veteran wide receiver. Bears players would like to say ''come on in'' to Plaxico Burress.

The general manager has not ruled out anything, and in an offseason like none the franchise has seen, everything is in play eight weeks before training camp. That includes Burress, the former New York Giants receiver who remains without a team while the NFL waits to see how his gun charge proceeds in New York courts.

Burress could be the final piece in a vast reshaping of the roster over the last two months, keyed by the April 2 trade for quarterback Jay Cutler. It was shortly after the deal that Burress told Bears' radio sideline reporter Zach Zaidman that Cutler had made what amounted to a recruiting call. Why not? He's a big wide receiver with big-play credentials and he would instantly take pressure off Devin Hester and the unproven first- and second-year players Cutler otherwise will count on.

''I feel pretty comfortable with what we have here right now," Hester said. ''If we added Plaxico Burress, that's only going to build confidence even more. Why wouldn't he help us?''

On Wednesday, Angelo kept open the possibility of fortifying the position.

''I can't say that it's 50-50 or anything like that,'' he told the team's Web site. ''We plan on going into training camp with what we have right now.''

Just like the Bears planned on going with Kyle Orton as their quarterback. Things happened.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus did not return a phone call seeking comment, but he announced last week that three teams have inquired about Burress. They are believed to be the Bears, Jets and Buccaneers. If Angelo is going to make a late addition to the position, Burress is the most talented player available. He has averaged 15.5 yards per catch in his career.

His ability at 31 isn't the issue, it's whether he will be available. He faces up to 3½ years in jail for carrying an unlicensed handgun in Manhattan last November, the one that he accidentally put a hole in his leg with at a nightclub. Burress' next court date is June 15, and Giants play-by-play man Bob Papa reported he already has turned down a plea that would have put him behind bars for two months. It's not inconceivable that his legal situation will be resolved by the start of the season.

While the court side of this issue is the biggest hurdle, Burress also could face a suspension from commissioner Roger Goodell. But even if Burress is out till midseason, he could help in the stretch.

There have been reports that Burress was constantly at odds with Giants coach Tom Coughlin. Bears players in leadership roles don't foresee that as an issue.

''I have played here all my career so I don't know the standard anywhere else but the standard here is set and it's not going to change for anybody,'' defensive end Alex Brown said. ''If he comes here, then he'll have to do what we do and live up to those standards. Plax, hey, who wouldn't want that guy on their team? He's a great player.''

Tight end Desmond Clark said word is there aren't any problems with Burress.

''Talent is talent,'' Clark said. ''But the one thing you don't want are bad guys. Just from people I talk to, everybody says he is a really, really good guy.''

The Giants' offense wasn't the same last season minus Burress down the stretch, and teammates bemoaned his absence.

''If a guy like that gets in trouble and he's not around the team, if people didn't like him, they would take their shots at him right there,'' Clark said. ''Nobody took a shot at Plaxico. He's going to sign with somebody, no doubt, because he is a great talent.

''From everything I know, he just made a couple stupid mistakes. That doesn't make him a bad guy. If he was to come here, we would welcome him. Why wouldn't we?''

For now, Earl Bennett is projected to start opposite Hester. The Bears are banking on contributions from rookie Juaquin Iglesias and slot receiver Rashied Davis. Brandon Rideau and Johnny Knox are in the mix. Remember, Angelo acknowledged the Bears would have drafted a wide receiver in the first round had they not traded for Cutler. He wanted to upgrade the position.

''So far they have been making the right decisions on the guys they have been picking, so I am hopeful whatever they do works,'' Hester said. ''It's been a heck of an offseason so far. We're shooting for the Super Bowl.''

Cliff Levingston wrote:Get him with an incentive based deal that protects us just in case he ends up in jail. If he's not here, it doesn't cost us anything (or not much) and we go into the season with the receivers we were planning on anyway.

That said, if those are indeed the 3 teams in on him, Cliff Levingston has got to believe we'd be the odds on favorites to win his services. The Jets have a rookie Sanchez and is the same town he got into trouble in while the Bucs have a collection of crap at the QB position. Further, both teams have new coaching staffs.

As long as we get a deal in place that doesn't screw us if Plaxico ends up in jail then go for it. Plaxico, Hester, Iglesias, Bennett, Olsen, and Forte would give Cutler A LOT of options.

5The atmosphere is back.

The novelty of Cutler's first public practice two weeks ago hadn't worn off. It was June 3, but the energy and excitement level of a typically mundane practice was palpable. One player compared it to spring football at a big-time college football program. The players feel the buzz and discuss the anticipation level of training camp. The anticipation level of training camp. Which is only 57 days away, if you're counting.

With case pushed off to September, questions remain for Burress
By
Brad Biggs
on June 15, 2009 3:47 PM

Drew Rosenhaus has dedicated six Twitter posts already today to Plaxico Burress. The PR machine is in overdrive. He's trying to hammer home the point that Burress will be available for the entire 2009 football season after he appeared briefly in New York court this morning and had his case adjourned until Sept. 23.

Burress' lawyer Benjamin Brafman said outside court that a trial for his client likely wouldn't take place until 2010 and that several teams were trying to sign Burress.

"We are also confident that the NFL will not have grounds to discipline Plex until after the adjudication of his case after this season,'' Rosenhaus wrote.

That's the other wild card in the matter. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell could choose to suspend Burress at any time for violation of the league's personal conduct policy. In the past, suspensions for first-time offenders like Burress have come after the court system has laid down its ruling. But the league reserves the right to do whatever it chooses, and that uncertainty might make teams think twice about Burress right now.

One league insider suggested Burress had the opportunity to wrap up the entire process already, and choosing to delay it has made him less attractive. The point was he's going to show up with baggage as it is. If there is a court case and potential jail time hanging over his head, he's going to show up with twice as much baggage. Here's one report that interest by the New York Jets in Burress has cooled.

Still, you cannot discount Burress' ability and the Bears' need for help. General manager Jerry Angelo said he would have drafted a wide receiver in the first round had he not traded for quarterback Jay Cutler. Then, he tried to deal his second-round pick to Arizona for Anquan Boldin. Angelo has identified the need and nothing that has taken place in OTA's for three weeks has changed that need.

Burress would give the Bears a wide receiver who can operate outside the numbers and provide a proven big-play threat for Cutler. The Bears drafted Juaquin Iglesias, Johnny Knox and Derek Kinder. At best, two of them will be complementary targets. Cutler has quickly developed a rapport with tight end Greg Olsen and he may become a go-top target. A productive tight end can't be substituted for a No. 1 wide receiver

Lovie happy with roster as it, but doesn't rule out Plaxico Burress
By
Brad Biggs
on June 17, 2009 1:15 PM


Lovie Smith said the Bears have not ruled out pursuing free-agent wide receiver Plaxico Burress, but he believes the team can win with what it has right now.

The team ended its 10-week offseason program on Wednesday afternoon at Halas Hall. The session concluded with the two-minute drill for the second team. Caleb Hanie hit third-round pick Juaquin Iglesias for a deep touchdown pass. Perhaps Smith and management feel good enough about the inexperienced crew of wide receivers on the roster to go forward without making a play for Burress, who his handlers say will not face a trial on gun charges in New York until after the season.

"Plaxico Burress is a good football player,'' Smith said. "Of course, we all know that. We keep all of our options open. We're constantly evaluating all players that are out there. I feel good about our team that we have right now. I feel good about the receivers we have right now.

"The door is never closed on anyone that is available. We've said that every time any player that has been available has been out there. We're saying the same thing right now. It's not like we're aggressively going after him. We evaluate everyone that we think can make our team better. We think we're a strong football team without adding anyone. We would like to improve on every position but right now we feel like we can win with this group.''

Smith said the Bears have had no discussions about Brandon Marshall, who announced earlier this week that he would like to be traded out of Denver like former teammate Jay Cutler was.

Burress faces up to 3 1/2 years in prison for carrying an unlicensed handgun into a Manhattan night club last November. He accidentally shot a hole in his leg. The Bears are one of three teams known to have contacted agent Drew Rosenhaus about the player. The New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the others. Rosenhaus said earlier this week that a fourth team has reached out to him.

Besides the legal angle with Burress, teams have to consider what type of sanctions he could face from commissioner Roger Goodell. He is expected to be suspended for violation of the personal conduct policy. Rosenhaus is adamant that will not happen until after the court case is completed, but the NFL office has made it clear Goodell can act at any time.

"We try to weigh all of it,'' Smith said. "That's a big part of the evaluation process. Everybody has a history and you go with their history."

Smith said he has not spoken to Burress. Bears players have made it clear they would be in favor of adding him to the mix. As the roster is constituted right now, only Devin Hester and Rashied Davis have tangible NFL experience. The team is counting on significant contributions from Earl Bennett and rookies Iglesias and Johnny Knox. Brandon Rideau could also figure into the equation. It puts an awful lot of pressure on Cutler, who said he has not spoken with the disgruntled Marshall lately.

fleetwood macbull wrote:I saw an ESPN graphic that showed Plax's yards per game has steadily dropped for 4 or 5 years. And dropped dramatically. The Narration over it said, beware of this guy. Definately incentive laden deal if any

Tim Hasselbeck, a former backup quarterback for the Giants, said on ESPN's "NFL Live" yesterday that teams -- including the Jets -- would be wise to refrain from signing his former teammate Plaxico Burress.

"When you're looking at Plaxico Burress, there's no doubt that he can be a dominant receiver at times on Sundays," Hasselbeck said. "We've seen it. But with that being said, I played with the guy. I was in the locker room with him for two years. He's a disaster as a teammate. He's a disaster as a guy that you have to coach.

"And what do I mean by that? If you want to wait for a guy to show up to meetings, if you want to have to beg a guy to run full-speed in practice, if you want a guy that would disappear in games because he doesn't get the ball early -- then look, Plaxico Burress is your guy.

"But if you don't want those distractions, and you don't want to deal with the other headaches that come along with Plaxico Burress, then you better stay away from him."