Bears players in NFL Europe for 2006

You don't hear much about the Bears' players in NFL Europe, but I always perk up when I see an orange "C" on a European team's jersey. So far the only Bear to really make it big out of Europe was Marcus Robinson, who was drafted high before gaining experience across the pond, but I remember Marcus Reese doing well, and last year we had a couple of quarterbacks who made strides.

Will anyone from this year's group make the 2006 regular season roster? If the NFL Europe Draft is any indication, cornerback Abraham Elimimian is one to watch. Amsterdam took him with their first pick. Five rounds later, the Admirals picked another Bear, wide receiver Craig Bragg (a 2005 Green Bay 6th round pick) who comes with an impressive college resume. Linebacker Stephen Larsen and quarterback BJ Symons look interesting, too.

Among the veterans, the big story is left tackle Qasim Mitchell -- a guy the Bears considered a player with a future just two years ago. Mitchell was our opening-day starter in 2004, but fell out of favor and might be on the verge of falling off the roster. I'm pulling for the kid, because he's my homeboy out of NC A&T. Here's hoping he makes good.

Defenders
Abraham Elimimian, CB, 5-10 / 193, Hawaii, first round NFLE draft pick, Amsterdam Admirals. Signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2005, but was cut in August. Signed by Chicago in January. His 12 career interceptions is the second most ever at Hawaii. Born in Nigeria.

Willie Amos, CB, 6-0, 186, Nebraska, 7th round NFLW, Hamburg Sea Devils. A track guy who switched from DB to WR as a senior at Nebraska.

Jason Harmon, CB, 5-11, 209, Michigan State, 14th round NFLE, Frankfurt Galaxy.

Stephen Larsen, LB, 6-1, 235, San Diego State, 5th round NFLE, Rhein Fire. Signed with Chicago as an undrafted free agent in April 2005, but was cut in August and then re-signed in February.

Justin Smith, LB, 6-0, 218, Indiana, 5th round, Hamburg Sea Devils. Entered NFL as free agent in 2002 with the Bucs, later played five games with the Rams and was on the Panthers roster.

Josh Dean, LB, 6-1, 215, San Diego State, 15th round NFLE, Cologne Centurians. Undrafted free agent signed by Chicago in January. Three-year starter for the Aztecs.

Jeremy Cain, LB, 6-1 / 235, Massachussets, allocated, Amsterdam Admirals. Signed by Chicago as an undrafted free agent in 2004, Cain has played in eight regular season games, including three in 2005, for the Bears.

Offensive players
Craig Bragg, WR, 6-1, 194, UCLA, 6th round NFLE draft, Amsterdam Admirals. Sixth round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2005, Bragg stuck around on the practice squad until November, when the Jets signed him to their practice squad. Signed by the Bears in January. Holds multiple records at UCLA, where his 193 receptions is the most ever by a Bruin (his yardage total is second on the UCLA all-time list).

Qasim Mitchell, T, 6-6, 330, NC A&T, allocated, Frankfort Galaxy. Former starting LT for Chicago in 2003-04, starting 16 of his 19 career games. When given the starting job outright in 2004, Mitchell struggled, wound up on IR, and is now in Frankfort trying to revive his career. A four-year veteran, originally signed by Cleveland.

BJ Symons, QB, 6-1, 215, Texas Tech, allocated, Berlin Thunder. Second year in NFL Europe. Drafted in the 7th round of the 2004 NFL draft by Houston. Spent 2004 year on injured reserve (knee). Won Sammy Baugh award as nation's top passer in 2003.

OK, this would be better...

The other day I made a big deal about signing Mike Vanderjagt, and I did so for one reason: I never believed that the New England Patriots -- the smartest team in football -- would let Super Bowl hero Adam Vinatieri onto the open market.

But here's The Boston Herald saying that's exactly what's going to happen. Pats beat writer Michael Felger said letting Vinatieri escape New England "may mark the biggest mistake Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli have made since they arrived in Foxboro six years ago."

Vanderjagt has the million-dollar leg. But if I were picking a kicker for the Bears, Vinatieri would be my No. 2 choice in the league (behind Rackers).

So let's make this simple: If he's available, you sign him.

Next?

How's this for a free agency target?

OK, I know we last saw him choking away a playoff game to the Steelers. And I know he's a freak who says weird things about teammates.

That's because he's a kicker.

One of the most accurate, big-legged, big game kickers in the NFL.

And if you're a team that's been built like the Bears, you need a good one. A great one would be even better.

Mike Vanderjagt: He's no Neil Rackers... but then again, Neil Rackers wasn't Neil Rackers until 2005.

But if we could sign just one guy, this would be my choice.

Can I get a witness, football bretheren?

Free at last!

With the Bears dealing from behind a $17 million to $20 million salary cap surplus, the pending start of the 2006 free agency period has got me all excited. When you team has money to burn and your competitors are strapped, all sorts of good things can happen.

But it says here that good things won't necessarily happen if the Bears go out and sign Chicagoland native Antwaan Randle El.

Randle El is a good football player, a Super Bowl Champion and a dynamic receiver and return man. No disrespect is intended.

But he's a No. 2 receiver at best, and the team that signs him is going to be shelling out No. 1 WR money. Which is just one reason the Bears should pass.

The best reasons to pass on Randle El? Bernard Berrian, Mark Bradley and -- to a lesser extent -- Justin Gage. One of those guys is going to be a legitimate No. 2 WR for Chicago in 2006, and Bradley in particular flashed signs of future greatness. Note to Angelo: You've got a 5th, a 3rd and a 2nd invested in these guys, and so far you're getting a pretty good return on it. Stand pat.

Personally, I'd love to see Randle El returning kicks for the Bears -- I just don't want to see the team invest the kind of money that would cost, and I don't want to see him slowing the development of Bradley and Berrian, who are probably better NFL wide receivers.

So where should we spend the money?

Well, after re-signing and rewarding our own players, cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Nate Clements spring to mind, with Woodson particularly intriguing. He's a premiere athlete who -- despite his obvious talents -- has become an overpaid, underachieving, injury-prone luxury in Oakland.

But what if you put Woodson on a team where he didn't have to serve as an every-down, shut-down corner? What if you put him in a zone-heavy system that would allow him the freedom to take a few ball-hawking risks?
Signing Woodson would be expensive, but it would give the team three legitimate starters at cornerback -- which is where we would have been in 2005, had Jerry Azumah been able to stay healthy.

The pundits like to say that the only good free agent signings are four-and-five-year veterans who are rising talents, but this overlooks the essential fact of modern football: Everything is about roles and expectations.

Because Randle El fits the punditry profile, he'll make too much -- placing him in a leading role that does not suit him. Expectations will be too high, and he'll likely be deemed a disappointment.

But a talented team that is within its Super Bowl window (as Chicago is today) can go out and sign a relatively expensive veteran on the downslope of his career -- because by setting that veteran in a supporting role , expectations can be kept manageable. Chicago is balanced and deep -- which means it's in a great position to bring in veterans others avoid and make a quick push for a championship.

In other words, would a certifiable egotist like Woodson accept a supporting -- rather than starring -- role for a team like Chicago? Probably not. But after eight long years in Oakland, would the prospect of management sanity and a league title affect his thinking?

Again, probably not -- although a boy can dream...