Tommie Harris a free agent?

[yuccaneers]

according to Brad Biggs, of the Chicago Sun-Times, he is reporting the Chicago Bears have made a contract offer to DL Tommie Harris. Harris is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent Feb. 29.

Thought he was going to be a free agent next season if this is the case and the Bears dont franchise him, the Bucs need to throw everything including the kitchen sink to bring him in as the team UT

[bradentonian]

In the article he says Harris signed thru 08

http://blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2008/02/final_push_made_to_keep_briggs.html

[Feel Real Good]

CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Entered NFL as a first-round selection (14th overall) by Chicago in 2004 NFL Draft… Signed 5-year contract with Bears (7/29/04). SIGNED through 2008

http://www.chicagobears.com/team/player37.html

It pains me that he was drafted 1 pick ahead of Clayton, though I doubt Gruden was thinking defense anyways with his first 1st round pick with the Bucs.

[yuccaneers]

I think he might have had a clause to void the final year of his contract

According to Sirius, he is under contract thru 08.

[yuccaneers]

what could have been, if Harris did not agree to a six year deal on the phone

In a pre-draft telephone conversation, Bears management told Harris and his former agent, Chicago-based Kennard McGuire, if he did not agree to six years, the team would draft Ohio State defensive end Will Smith with the 14th overall pick.

according to NFLPA, he's signed thru 08 for $977k

[acacius]

according to NFLPA, he's signed thru 08 for $977k

Yeah, but it's always possible that like yuc speculates, he could have a voidable year in his contract.  That's something that wouldn't show up on nflpa.

Still, between just how big of a potential free agent he would be if that was the case and the fact that there hasn't been much media attention towards it, I wouldn't be surprised if this were just a case of the Bears trying to lock him up long term since he's going into the final year of his contract.

If this guy was a potential free agent, I think we all would know about it.

[acacius]

If this guy was a potential free agent, I think we all would know about it.

That's really what I meant by my second paragraph.  If he were a potential free agent, you'd think the media would have been all over it.

[Tampa Bay Todd]

Even when he does become a free agent, no way he leaves the Bears. He arguably could be just as valuable to that defense, if not more, than Urlacher.

[bucs1]

Tommie Harris is NOT a free agent this offseason.  I also saw that on KFFL.com and was wondering the same thing.  It was an error on their website.  I did some research and it said that Harris was signed through the 2008 season.  Hopefully next offseason he can come available and we will be able to make a run at him.

[acacius]

Hopefully next offseason he can come available and we will be able to make a run at him.

Remember how all year people have been saying how great it would be to get Haynesworth, but there was absolutely no way the Titans would let him go?  The same argument applies here, only significantly moreso.

[PoorRichard]

Harris = stud. He is a perfect fit for this defense.