Thread: Michael Bush visiting Chicago

We can't afford luxury picks like this one. We have much bigger needs right now.

I wonder how this meeting went. Maybe Tice wants to REALLY emphasize the run by Keeping Forte AND signing Bush. It's so crazy it just might work! :)

Bears sign free agent running back Michael Bush

By Brad Biggs, Tribune reporter

10:48 a.m. CDT, March 22, 2012
The Chicago Bears have invested good money in a No. 2 running back for the third consecutive year, and the signing Thursday of free agent Michael Bush to a four-year contract could prove to be quality insurance if a contract agreement can't be reached with Matt Forte.

Bush's deal is worth $14 million, with $7 million guaranteed.

Bush becomes the third significant piece added to the Bears' offense in a little more than a week. The former Oakland Raiders running back, who visited Halas Hall this month, was arguably the top player at his position available in free agency.

He’s clearly the backup to Forte, who has been tendered with the franchise tag, meaning he will earn $7.742 million this season. Forte has yet to sign that tender, and general manager Phil Emery said Friday the team continues to work toward signing him. But in the absence of a deal for Forte, the Bears could have a bona fide starter in Bush.

“Obviously, we want Matt to be a Bear for the long term,” Emery said. “We’re working toward that resolution.”

Bush rushed for a career-high 977 yards in 16 games for the Raiders last season, starting nine as Darren McFadden was sidelined with a foot injury. He also caught 37 passes out of the backfield for 418 yards (11.3 average), so he has the kind of versatility the Bears are used to in Forte.

The Cincinnati Bengals also had interest in Bush, but they signed BenJarvus Green-Ellis on Wednesday, taking away what might have been Bush’s best opportunity for a starting job. Bush had interest from other teams, and the Seattle Seahawks were reportedly pursuing him.


His arrival makes it likely the Bears will cut ties with Marion Barber, who was a free-agent flop last season and cost the team a victory at Denver when he ran out of bounds late in the game as the team was trying to run out the clock and then lost a fumble in overtime.

Barber signed a $4.5 million, two-year contract last summer that included a $500,000 signing bonus. He is due to earn a base salary of $1.9 million this season and has a $100,000 roster bonus. By releasing him, the Bears would create $2 million in cap savings and he would count just $250,000 vs. the cap.

The team is still carrying Chester Taylor, the backup running back in 2010, on the books. He will count $1 million vs. the cap this season after he earned $7 million in '10 as another free-agent miss. The Bears have another running back in the mix as they tendered Kahlil Bell as a restricted free agent. Bell would have been the likely candidate for the backup job but the deal Bush has received makes it clear he'll assume that position.

However, it's not a given Barber will be gone immediately. The Bears carried Taylor all the way through camp and preseason last year after Barber arrived. The nature of the position puts teams in a position where they want to have insurance in the event injuries strike. Plus, the team doesn't know if Forte will stage an offseason holdout.

Bush, a fourth-round pick in 2007 from Louisville, missed his rookie season with a broken leg. He turns 28 in June and has sat out only three games over the course of the last four seasons. Bush has rushed for 2,642 yards in his career with 21 touchdowns.

The Bears have until July 16 to reach a deal with Forte, 26, on a long-term contract. If not, he will have to play the 2012 season under the franchise tag. The team could then elect to tag Forte again for 2013, if it desired, at a cost of $9.29 million. Now, Bush will be in place and he might be deemed a better value if it comes down to that type of decision. If the Bears are able to sign Forte, they'll have a deep backfield for new offensive coordinator Mike Tice.

The Bears could shift the focus to defense in the draft because thus far Emery's biggest additions have been on offense, where he's got a target for quarterback Jay Cutler and spent for backup roles. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall arrived via trade and quarterback Jason Campbell will get $3.5 million to play behind Cutler. The Bears had veteran guard Anthony Herrera in for a visit last week, a familiar option for Tice from their time together with the Minnesota Vikings, and could be considering some other options on the line for depth.

While the Bears re-signed two starters from 2011 -- defensive end Israel Idonije and cornerback Tim Jennings -- and safety Craig Steltz was brought back, the team has yet to address needs or find upgrades for the defense.

Bears sign free agent running back Michael Bush - chicagotribune.com