By Brad BiggsThe NFL's free-agent shopping season is about eight hours away and a major piece just landed on the street, available for bidders.
The Arizona Cardinals announced Thursday that veteran safety Antrel Rolle has been released. The Cardinals were going to have to pay him a $4 million roster bonus Tuesday, and he was due to earn another $8.1 million this season in base salary.
The Cardinals would like Rolle back, but it is believed he wants to find a new home. The Bears are expected to be very interested and the Washington Redskins may attempt to sign Rolle and pair him in the secondary with LaRon Landry.
"The Bears would be an attractive team," said Rolle's agent Drew Rosenhaus. "Stay tuned."
Photo: Antrel Rolle (doing a flip after scoring on a 2007 interception) was released Thursday. (Al Behrman/AP)
The Bears and general manager Jerry Angelo are expected to be very
active in free agency. It's believed the team will target a defensive
end -- Julius Peppers and Aaron Kampman probably top the list. The Bears also are believed to be in the market for running back Chester Taylor
and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna.
"I expect them to hit it big," said one veteran league observer. "This is it. There is no draft. They have to come out with four or five players."
"I expect them to hit it big," said one veteran league observer. "This is it. There is no draft. They have to come out with four or five players."
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Let's hope the Bears are talking with Antrel and not Esther Rolle as you never know with the Bears :)
Hey Tonto, "He feeds on garbage teams in meaningless games and chokes when it matters, he always has." - don't you mean ME?
Tonto,
Perhaps you would rather have someone from the distiguished list of lousy Bears QBs over the last several decades such as Moses Moreno, Rick Mirer, etc. Thinking he is the problem just makes you football stupid.
Hanz,
Sounds like it is a lot more media-generated smoke so far, with nothing concrete. The only things that make it look more like a possibility is that the Pats are letting Watson walk, and just released Chris Baker. I think that is more for them to go after Peppers than Olsen.
I would not be surprised, but I don't expect it to happen any time soon.
I am still shocked that with Atogwe having no penalty for us if we sign him that we would pursue Rolle...Just makes no sense to me.
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BTW, Has anyone heard of the latest rumor of Olsen to the Pats? I don't have the IN on esp, so I'm unable to access the rumor thread. Please and thanks.
Drew Rosenhaus is a class A scumbag. I hate agents like him, who will leach out the transactions that he does for players with less than deserved potential. But it is the teams faults for buying the players at the price and the shell game continues with expert hustlers like Rosenhaus.
Omay on March 4, 2010 5:16 PM
Tonto, you are a clueless, Bronco fan that is still pissed you have to deal with Orton and not Cutler. Haha Jealousy will get you nowhere. Hiho Silver, away!!
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Nope, not a Bronco fan.
And who could possibly be jealous of the Bears season? That doesn't make any sense at all.
Mike W on March 4, 2010 4:29 PM
Tonto-you a packers fan? Cutler had the o-line of the Raiders.
;;;;;;
What Cutler has always had is an excuse for why each season ends with his team staying home. He had a great O-Line in Denver and did nothing. Sorry, but this guy is a between the twenties bottom feeder, who gets his stats the wrong way. He feeds on garbage teams in meaningless games and chokes when it matters, he always has.
I know people love his arm, but I believe this guy is a loser and I honestly don't think that will ever change. I hope it will, but have seen enough to know better.
That doesn't make me a Packers fan, it makes me someone with an unpopular opinion who is pretty sure he is right.
Peppers & Clark or Rolle & Kampman. As much as I'd like to see Peppers & Rolle it's not gonna happen.
Tonto-you a packers fan? Cutler had the o-line of the Raiders. If that. Please don't knock someone who beat John Elway's franchise record. And if you paid much attention, you'd know that Cutler set Bear records in this disaster of a season so imagine if he had a line and No Ron Turner... This has the chance to be a good year. Especially if they get 2 defensive FA like Peppers, Kampman, Rolle, and add Taylor to the RB position? They got a pretty good chance to compete for the North.
Omay on March 4, 2010 4:23 PM
Tonto...."fans" like you just ought to root for someone else (Packers, Vikings) and stay off this blog. The sooner you all realize that Jay Cutler is THE franchise, the better!
_______________________
I agree, Cutler is the franchise. And not all franchises are successful, and as long as Cutler is here we will have an unsuccessful franchise.
And just because someone doesn't bury their head in the sand and pretend tis is a good team, doesn't mean they aren't a fan. The fact is, they are very bad right now and it's obvious to most of us.
Throw a poison pill contract at Atogwe since STL didn't tender him high enough. Rolle is not worth 8 million a year and nobody else except Ronnie Lott reincarnated is. Sign Kampman instead of Peppers. Move Omiyale to right tackle to compete with Shaffer. Do these things and find at least 2 players ready to contribute right away in the draft and we should be back in the playoffs. And use our 3rd rd draft pick to find a guard to compete with Beekman. Martz has been good at finding QBs late in the draft so try it.
2011 Draft (based on need)
3rd OG
4th RB
5th S
6th CB
7th QB
Come on Bears fans, you know Angelo is going to blow this somehow. Seriously. You really think he will be able to convince anyone with talent to come here?
BD on March 4, 2010 4:09 PM
Dare we dream?
Peppers, Rolle, Taylor, Manumaleuna all Bears.
Trade Olsen for Marshall.
It's just a dream.
-----------------
you can have all of them, but if Jethro Cutler is still with the team, they don't win more than 4 or 5 next year anyway.
Dare we dream?
Peppers, Rolle, Taylor, Manumaleuna all Bears.
Trade Olsen for Marshall.
It's just a dream.
No reason to get rid of D Manning, let him keep kick returning and play nickel back.
That being said, just say no to him at SS.
Peppers, Rolle/Atogwe, Lito Sheppard
Goodbye DManning... please