Welcome back Chris Harris!

[batman14]

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/news/story?id=5139992

haha yes!

[ChronicKerr]

He should have never left to begin with.

I haven't really followed him the past few seasons but I know he was a contributor for them. Hopefully Harris/Wright can be a formidable SS/FS combo this year. I wonder what we're going to be giving up for him.

[LoveDaBoo]

He should have never left to begin with.

I haven't really followed him the past few seasons but I know he was a contributor for them. Hopefully Harris/Wright can be a formidable SS/FS combo this year. I wonder what we're going to be giving up for him.

Jamar Williams.

[Cliff Levingston]

Man, this is awesome news if it's true. Harris was a very solid player for Carolina so there's no reason he can't be here.

[Chewie]

Hellz yeah !!!

More Chris Harris and less Steltz is a good thing.

Agreed it's probably Jamar Williams we're giving up who looked good when playing ILB (18 tackle game vs. Rams last yr).

Biggs article from the Trib :

The Bears have a new safety to pair with rookie Major Wright.

Actually, it's an old safety.

Chris Harris announced on his Twitter account that he expects to rejoin the team that drafted him in the sixth round in 2005 in a trade that could involve one of the team's veteran linebackers or a safety. The Bears and Carolina Panther have yet to announce a transaction.

"It hasn't been official," Harris told the Tribune. "But I will be with the Bears soon. It's about to happen and I am excited, man. This is great."

The Bears likely will plug Harris in at strong safety and play Wright at free safety. It certainly erases a lot of doubt about the position, where there has been nothing but a revolving door since coach Lovie Smith arrived in 2004.

Photo: Chris Harris returns an interception while playing for Carolina in 2007. (AP)
The Bears thought they had solidified the position in 2006 when they drafted Kevin Payne and traded for Adam Archuleta. Harris was traded to the Panthers at the start of training camp in 2007 and flourished there, forcing 12 fumbles in the last three seasons, including one against Bears tight end Greg Olsen.

"I'm excited because I have always had a place in my heart for the Bears," said Harris, who has maintained a residence in Gurnee. "It's the team I started with. I think it's awesome.

"I don't think I need a playbook. I know the defense. I'm ready to go."

[Balance-a-Bull]

Excellent news!

Great call guys.

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsSt ... ry_id=6723

April 27, 2010

Bears land Chris Harris in trade for Jamar Williams

By: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 4/27/2010 3:02 PM

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears on Tuesday bolstered their secondary by reacquiring veteran safety Chris Harris from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for linebacker Jamar Williams.

Harris played his first two NFL seasons with the Bears after being selected by Chicago in the sixth round of the 2005 draft. The 6-foot, 205-pounder was then traded to the Panthers on Aug. 2, 2007 for a 2008 fifth-round draft pick that the Bears spent on cornerback Zackary Bowman.

In five NFL seasons, Harris has appeared in 69 games with 64 starts, registering 338 tackles, 10 interceptions, 22 passes defender and 12 forced fumbles.

As a rookie with the Bears in 2005, Harris started 13 of 14 games played at free safety, recording 70 tackles, three interceptions and eight pass breakups. He picked off two Brett Favre passes in the fourth quarter of a division-clinching win over the Packers in Green Bay on Christmas Day.

Harris appeared in 11 games with seven starts in 2007, missing five contests with ankle and quadriceps injuries. After opening the year at free safety, he started the final five regular-season games and all three playoff contests, including Super Bowl XLI, at strong safety.

Harris registered 54 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups. His interception of Peyton Manning in Super Bowl XLI was the first by a Bears safety in the post-season since Mark Carrier in a 1991 win over the New Orleans Saints.

Harris started 44 games in three seasons with the Panthers, all at strong safety. He led the NFL with eight forced fumbles in 2007, and then forced two fumbles in each of the past two seasons. One of those came against Bears tight end Greg Olsen in a Carolina victory in 2008.

Harris is the fourth player the Bears have added to the secondary this offseason. They also signed free agent cornerback Tim Jennings and drafted Florida safety Major Wright in the third round and Kansas State cornerback Joshua Moore in the fifth round with two of their first three picks.

[Friend_Of_Haley]

Safety Depth:

FS: Wright - Manning
SS: Harris - Afalava - Payne
On the Bubble: Bullocks
Out: Steltz

LB Depth
WLB: Briggs - Roach - Shaw
MLB: Urlacher - Hillenmeyer - Roach - Shaw
SLB: Pisa - Hillenmeyer - Roach - Shaw
Shaw really is just a special teamer. I don't even know what LB spot he'd play if we needed him. Roach can play all three spots.

As long as our starting 3 LB's don't miss a combined 30 games (62.5%) we should be okay.

I like this move. Hopefully its just Williams for Harris straight up, but I've heard a draft pick might be thrown in by us.

[Cliff Levingston]

Cliff Levingston wonders who sticks around in the secondary now. We've got tons of secondary players on the roster now:

S Chris Harris
S Major Wright
S Al Afalava
S Josh Bullocks
S Kevin Payne
S Craig Steltz
S Danieal Manning
CB Zack Bowman
CB Corey Graham
CB Charles Tillman
CB Tim Jennings
CB DJ Moore
CB Josh Moore
CB Woodny Turenne

[Icness]

Cliff Levingston wonders who sticks around in the secondary now. We've got tons of secondary players on the roster now:

S Chris Harris
S Major Wright
S Al Afalava
S Josh Bullocks
S Kevin Payne
S Craig Steltz
S Danieal Manning
CB Zack Bowman
CB Corey Graham
CB Charles Tillman
CB Tim Jennings
CB DJ Moore
CB Josh Moore
CB Woodny Turenne

I think Steltz and Manning are battling on special teams for the same roster spot and Bullocks is gone. Methinks the Moores are also fighting for the same spot but that one will conveniently get injured in camp and be an IR stash. Just from my own pre-draft evals Turenne>>Josh Moore, though Moore is a better playmaker. I don't think Jennings is a lock to make it over any of those guys though.

[Friend_Of_Haley]

Cliff Levingston wonders who sticks around in the secondary now. We've got tons of secondary players on the roster now:

S Chris Harris
S Major Wright
S Al Afalava
S Josh Bullocks
S Kevin Payne
S Craig Steltz
S Danieal Manning
CB Zack Bowman
CB Corey Graham
CB Charles Tillman
CB Tim Jennings
CB DJ Moore
CB Josh Moore
CB Woodny Turenne

I put my S depth up there. For CB, I'd say:

CB: Tillman - Bowman - Graham - Jennings - J.Moore
On the Bubble: Turenne
Out: DJ Moore

I think we take either 6 CBs or 6 S, so the last spot is between Bullocks, Turenne, and any other competition we bring in. Seems like every year there is at least one CB who surprises in camp and makes a run at the last roster spot, so it could be an unkown who gets that last DB spot, but whoever it is, it has to be someone who can play Special Teams, otherwise, they have no shot.

[emperorjones]

Great trade! I really like Williams but he wasn't going to get any time here. Now lets not complain if he blows up in Carolina.

As far as secondary this is how I see it (happily)


SS Chris Harris ----------> Al Afalava------->
FS Danieal Manning ---> Major Wright-->Craig Steltz

Nickel ----> Tim Jennings----->DJ Moore

CB Zack Bowman-----Woodny Turenne--->DJ Moore
CB Charles Tillman----->Josh Moore----->DJ Moore

Cut ----->Josh Bullocks, Kevin Payne, Corey Graham

[chitownsports4ever]

nice !!! we get someone who we know can play and knows the system . I wanna see him gets back to his fumble causing ways .

[WEFFPIM]

Maybe this means one of the Bears' safeties will actually get an interception this year.

I mean, could one of you just luck into one or something?

[SportsWorld]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h0gljRcBMM[/youtube]

[CentralQB5]

Im not a Bears fan but this was huge to get Harris

[The_Magician]

Great trade! I really like Williams but he wasn't going to get any time here. Now lets not complain if he blows up in Carolina.

As far as secondary this is how I see it (happily)


SS Chris Harris ----------> Al Afalava------->
FS Danieal Manning ---> Major Wright-->Craig Steltz

Nickel ----> Tim Jennings----->DJ Moore

CB Zack Bowman-----Woodny Turenne--->DJ Moore
CB Charles Tillman----->Josh Moore----->DJ Moore

Cut ----->Josh Bullocks, Kevin Payne, Corey Graham

Digging up an old post I know, but I still felt compelled to respond nevertheless.

I disagree with Manning (happily) starting & here's why.

First of all. Manning is NOT an ideal player in the NFL, much less a starter at any position. Not even close(yes I'm even talking about as a KR). I could probably throw together a 20 minute "highlight" reel of his blown coverages alone. He can't pre-read a defense or WR route on a consistent basis to save his life, his coverage skills outside the hash marks [even with CB help] are atrocious, he isn't physical enough to play one-on-one, he certainly doesn't play well inside the box because he can't tackle for crap [takes bad angles & takes the wrong "type" of tackle (i.e trying to arm tackle AP going full speed along the sideline) ]. And most importantly, he just simply isn't smart enough to absorb the playbook & take what he learns on film day & translate that into the game. Atleast that what he has shown me anyhow - I don't know him personally so I could be wrong about that last one.

About the only things that Manning has going for him is; his athleticism, his experience at 4 different positions on defense, & his ability to blitz the blind side as a occasional nickel or dime back.

IMO, Manning is a decent bench player & nothing more. In fact I'd keep Graham before him if it came down to a choice between the two.

Anyhow, back to Chris Harris. Sorry to get off-subject here. I like having Harris back & he is defiantly an improvement to the secondary - not that it says much. But I just hope he can stay healthy & does (not only as well as we expect him to) as well as we NEED him to.

[Chewie]

First of all. Manning is NOT an ideal player in the NFL, much less a starter at any position. Not even close(yes I'm even talking about as a KR). I could probably throw together a 20 minute "highlight" reel of his blown coverages alone. He can't pre-read a defense or WR route on a consistent basis to save his life, his coverage skills outside the hash marks [even with CB help] are atrocious, he isn't physical enough to play one-on-one, he certainly doesn't play well inside the box because he can't tackle for crap [takes bad angles & takes the wrong "type" of tackle (i.e trying to arm tackle AP going full speed along the sideline) ]. And most importantly, he just simply isn't smart enough to absorb the playbook & take what he learns on film day & translate that into the game. Atleast that what he has shown me anyhow - I don't know him personally so I could be wrong about that last one.

I'll agree that Manning is more athlete than football player. He'll probably end up being one of those classic cases that figures it all out once he joins another team.

I will disagree that he's not a starting quality KR, though. His 29.7 avg was tops in the NFL in 2008 and his 26.6 average tied him for 7th among those with 20 or more chances in 2009. Given his salary and the fact that Knox simply does it better, he's just not a starting quality KR on the Bears.

[americanese]

Chris Harris is the man.