Bears Bring Back Zack Bowman

**draw2anderson35** · 03-15-2013, 02:18 PM

By Brad Biggs, Tribune reporter

The Chicago Bears will return their most productive cover man on special teams from last season.

Zack Bowman is returning on a one-year contract, according to two NFL sources, putting him in position to help on special teams and add depth at cornerback where the team needs help.

Bowman placed second on the team with 11 special teams tackles in 2012 but had only 189 snaps on special teams, far less than Eric Weems (307) who made 12 tackles. Bowman appeared in 11 games after being signed during the season. He had left for the Minnesota Vikings in free agency last spring.

Bowman has 16 career starts for the Bears and made six interceptions in 2009 before he fell out of favor as a defensive player with Lovie Smith’s coaching staff. The 28-year-old could figure in the mix again as a defensive player and defensive backs coach Jon Hoke obviously knows him well. There was some thought the Kansas City Chiefs and former special teams coordinator Dave Toub would pursue Bowman but they put a focus on starting cornerbacks in free agency.

The Bears still hope to re-sign nickel cornerback Kelvin Hayden, who is a free agent. The team is in need of depth as Bowman and Sherrick McManis, also a special teams player, are the only veterans under contract behind starters Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings.

**lklrlolnlilklsox** · 03-15-2013, 04:45 PM

He's a scrub, but we need bodies and he's a good ST'er.

**soulman** · 03-15-2013, 04:54 PM

Yep Bowman is not starting CB material in this defense but he's got some size and he's a great STeams guy and always has been really. He and Graham were the top cover guys on punts and we lost both last year to begin with.

That's what prompted the trade of Clutts for McManis who seems every bit as good as Bowman and the signing of Weems who I think has out lived his usefulness as a Bear. Emery brought him in to replace Graham and as a KR specialist and in my mind he's done neither all that well. If it didn't cost us money to cut him I'd say do it but it will so he's safe for another year.

Maybe he'll do better in 2013.

**WindyCity** · 03-15-2013, 06:19 PM

Cheap

Great on special teams.

Starting experience.

**JPosh2012** · 03-15-2013, 06:32 PM

Good Signing! He isn't a starter but he does do a good job in terms of filling his role on the team.

**MPBears68** · 03-15-2013, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by soulman

Yep Bowman is not starting CB material in this defense but he's got some size and he's a great STeams guy and always has been really. He and Graham were the top cover guys on punts and we lost both last year to begin with.

That's what prompted the trade of Clutts for McManis who seems every bit as good as Bowman and the signing of Weems who I think has out lived his usefulness as a Bear. Emery brought him in to replace Graham and as a KR specialist and in my mind he's done neither all that well. If it didn't cost us money to cut him I'd say do it but it will so he's safe for another year.

Maybe he'll do better in 2013.

Can McM play NB? I'm asking...

I find the Weems thing to be a total waste of a roster spot if Hester is staying. Spotrac list his hit as $1.415m and his dead cap as $1m. Not much but a net of $415k in cap gained by releasing him (another $500k in dead money next year if he sticks). Bad signing IMO. Overpaid for his ST play and adds nothing as a WR. He's basically a second Hester w/o Hester's return rep and explosion potential. A slightly cheaper Hester-lite. It bothers me to have two "wide receivers" occupying roster spots who don't actually receive.

**soulman** · 03-15-2013, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by MPBears68

Can McM play NB? I'm asking...

I find the Weems thing to be a total waste of a roster spot if Hester is staying. Spotrac list his hit as $1.415m and his dead cap as $1m. Not much but a net of $415k in cap gained by releasing him (another $500k in dead money next year unfortunately). Bad signing IMO. Overpaid for his ST play and adds nothing as a WR. He's basically a second Hester w/o Hester's return rep and explosion potential. A slightly cheaper Hester-lite. It bothers me to have two "wide receivers" occupying roster spots who don't actually receive.

I don't think McManis is what we want for a NB but that doesn't mean he may not be given a shot at it in camp. We signed some other guys before this who may also get a shot, then there's that kid Frey we drafted last year and kept on the PS and possibly Hayden if he comes back or another vet, so who knows. But it's an important spot that does need some attention.

Emery brought Weems in and I doubt he's in favor of letting him go and have to roll up and eat $1 mil of his $1.5 mil signing bonus. It actually ends up costing us money because his combine salary and workout bonus is $915k and we'd save that but eat the $1 mil so we lose $85k of cap space not gain $415k. At least for now he's safe and he's not a bad STeams guy to have around to back Hester up as a KR guy or maybe even replace him.

Of all the FA signings to date to me Weems has been the most disappointing but maybe Trestman will find more use for him offensively than Tice did.

**bearsinhouston** · 03-15-2013, 08:36 PM

meh....

so what else is going on?

**MPBears68** · 03-15-2013, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by soulman

I don't think McManis is what we want for a NB but that doesn't mean he may not be given a shot at it in camp. We signed some other guys before this who may also get a shot, then there's that kid Frey we drafted last year and kept on the PS and possibly Hayden if he comes back or another vet, so who knows. But it's an important spot that does need some attention.

Forgot about Frey. Hopefully we can get some kind of value out of him this year at NB or backup CB. Hayden was nothing special so whether he's back or not is no biggie either way.

**Bear Pride** · 03-17-2013, 07:20 PM

Good move, imo. Bears need to add a lot of players at lower salaries that can help the team. You can't complain about adding a really good ST's player and a little bit of depth at CB. Nothing more, nothing less. Here's his salary:

Year	Base	S. Bonus	Misc.	Cap Hit	Dead
2013	715,000	-	-160,000	555,000	-
2014	UFA

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