By Vaughn McClureBears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, whose future with the Bears appeared to be doubtful after a season-ending fractured fibula, still believes there's a 50-50 chance he could return to Chicago.
Ogunleye, 32, said he expects to get more clarity on his future after the Super Bowl. The unrestricted free agent still led the Bears in sacks with 6 1/2.
"It's just a situation where we both have to be on the same page,'' Ogunleye said after cleaning out his locker at Halas Hall on Monday.
Ogunleye, who remains in a walking boot, doesn't believe the injury hurt his status with the Bears.
Photo: Adewale Ogunleye thinks there is a 50 percent chance he will remain a Bear. (Scott Strazzante/Tribune)
"In the big scheme of things, I don't think that has anything to do
with it,'' he said. "If you watched the way I played and what I bring
to the table to any team ... I'm a plus. So I'm not a guy that you look
at and say he's not going to make us better or we're not a good team
with him.
"I missed being with the team. Hopefully, they feel the same way.''
"I missed being with the team. Hopefully, they feel the same way.''
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Getting Gaines Adams is the biggest waste of a draft pick I have ever seen. Ogungle did OK this season. At one point he lead the team in sacks. Still, the biggest changes that need to made are the head coach and company. Everything else will follow.
The only way the door should remain open is so that it doesn't hit Wale in the butt on his way out. No reason whatsoever to re-sign him this offseason based on the last 6 years.
Wale was a hard worker who always gave it everything he had, and conducted himself with professionalism and class. As a person, you hate to see him go, but as a pass rusher, he just couldn't consistently get the job done. Looking at the league, and what teams are consistently in the playoff hunt, and what they have in common is they are tough to pass on. Good pass rush, or good secondary. We have neither, and there is no reason to pay for a guy who doesn't accomplish either goal.
Neither one of our ends (he and Alex Brown) have been able to consistently generate a pass rush from the edges, which is why we traded for Gaines Adams, and why we drafted Gilbert and Melton, and have tried for years to find that lightning in a bottle pass rusher for passing situations. Anderson provided that in his rookie season, but not since. Odds are Melton and Gilbert are not that guy either.
Maybe Greg Hardy will slip into the third round, since with his injury history and character issues, he should be right in Jerry's wheelhouse for a draft choice...