Lamarr Houston Likely To Make Bears' Roster
- Given that the Bears have signed Pernell McPhee and drafted Leonard Floyd and Jonathan Bullard over the past two seasons, it was fair to wonder if Willie Young and Lamarr Houston were going to survive for the 2016 season. Young, of course, looks to be a roster lock at this point, as he’s reportedly been offered an extension by Chicago. But Houston now seems likely to make the final 53 as well, as John Mullin of CSNChicago.com writes.
Willie Young 50/50 On Bears Offer
MONDAY: 9:30am: Talks are ongoing, but nothing is imminent between the two sides, Cole tweets.
THURSDAY, 2:18pm: The chances of linebacker/defensive end Willie Young taking the Bears’ current two-year offer is “50/50,” a source tells Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). The offer is just good enough that Young has to consider, he adds. 
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It’s not clear if Chicago has presented Young with its final offer, though the tone of Cole’s tweet seems to suggest that. Young, 30, would be under contract through his age-33 season with a two-year extension.
Young inked a three-year, $9MM deal with Chicago in 2014 and, so far, he has been a solid value. Last year, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated Young as the 24th best edge defender in the NFL out of 110 qualified players. The advanced metrics gave him roughly equally good marks for his pass rush (359 pass snaps) and run defense (173 snaps). Young has started in eight games during each of the past two seasons and has enhanced his pass-rushing profile considerably during that span. After six sacks in four years with the Lions, Young has registered 16.5 in 30 games with the Bears.
The veteran was reportedly on the trade block after being used sparingly during the first half of the 2015 season. However, Young turned it on in the second half, making 5.5 of his 6.5 sacks from Weeks 9-13. Now, even though Chicago has a strong cast of outside linebackers, the team badly wants to keep him in the fold.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bears Hope Committee Will Replace Forte's Production
The Bears know that one player can’t make up for Matt Forte‘s consistent production, but they believe that their committee of running backs can pick up the slack, as Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune writes.
- The Bears and Willie Young are discussing a two-year extension that would keep him in Chicago until his age-33 season. The 30-year-old has started in eight games during each of the past two seasons and has enhanced his pass-rushing profile considerably during that span. After six sacks in four years with the Lions, Young has registered 16.5 in 30 games with the Bears.
Bears, Willie Young Discussing Extension
Entering the final season of a three-year contract, Willie Young may not be headed toward the free agent market after this season. 
The Bears and Young are in talks on a two-year extension that would keep the edge defender in Chicago until his age-33 season, Jason Cole of Bleacher report tweets. Cole reports the deal could be finalized soon.
Despite the Bears having signed Pernell McPhee in 2015 and added Leonard Floyd in the first round last month, the team looks to prefer to keep Young in the fold. He’s been a quality performer who’s done well to deliver on the three-year, $9MM deal he signed in 2014.
The 30-year-old Young has started in eight games during each of the past two seasons and has enhanced his pass-rushing profile considerably during that span. After six sacks in four years with the Lions, Young has registered 16.5 in 30 games with the Bears.
Transitioning from 4-3 end to 3-4 outside linebacker last season, Young was thought to be on the trade block to begin 2015 after being used sparingly during the first half of the campaign. But Young turned it on for the Bears in the second half, making 5.5 of his 6.5 sacks from Weeks 9-13 and looks to have changed the franchise’s tune despite its now-well-equipped cast of outside ‘backers. A former seventh-round pick of the Lions’ in 2010, Young rated as one of Pro Football Focus’ more balanced edge players last season, ranking 24th overall and grading well against the pass and the run.
Although Floyd has yet to sign his rookie deal, he, McPhee and Lamarr Houston are expected to take up $17.22MM of Chicago’s cap this season. Young is only set to occupy $3.17MM of the Bears’ cap this season. That rate is plenty reasonable for the production Young’s provided, and more Chicago-commissioned checks could be coming his way.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bears Waives Bruce Gaston
- The Bears announced they have signed Donovan Williams, an offensive lineman from Louisiana-Lafayette (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune). The Bears have also released center Dan Buchholz, wide receiver/tight end Marcus Lucas, and wide receiver Nathan Palmer (link).
- The Bears waived defensive end Bruce Gaston, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes. Demovsky suggests that Gaston, who made Green Bay’s opening day roster last season, could get another look from the Packers.
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Bears Sign Ben LeCompte
- The Bears agreed to sign defensive lineman Kenton Adeyemi and wide receiver Kieren Duncan, Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets. Both players participated in the Bears’ weekend tryouts and both players are getting three-year pacts, per Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune (via Twitter).
- Carson Wentz is the most high-profile North Dakota State player to land on an NFL roster this offseason, but he won’t be the only one, as former Bison punter Ben LeCompte announced (Twitter link) that he’s agreed to terms with the Bears after working at the team’s rookie camp over the weekend.
Bears Not Concerned With Floyd's Small Stature
- The size disparity between Leonard Floyd and the Bears‘ other primary outside linebackers will be significant this season. DC Vic Fangio expects the team’s top rookie to weigh between 230 and 235 pounds this season, Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune reports. Contrast that with Pernell McPhee and Lamarr Houston, who are both over 270, and it’s a rather notable chasm between players who play the same position. Fangio said multiple times during an interview with Chicago-area media Saturday he wasn’t concerned about the ex-Georgia edge player’s weight. “I’m sure there’s going to be a play or two every game where you’re going to say, ‘Jeez, he’s not heavy enough,’ or, ‘He’s too light,’” Fangio said. “Hopefully there’ll be a few plays every game, too, that we say, ‘Well, jeez, we didn’t have anybody who could have done that in the past.’ He is what he is.”
Bears Auditioning Marquis Jackson
- Marquis Jackson, the brother of Jaguars defensive tackle Malik Jackson, is trying out for the Bears this weekend, reports Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun Times. The defensive lineman tried out fot the Vikings in 2013, and he also played for the AFL’s Portland Thunder. “We had him in at Denver one time and he was in a suit sitting in our lunch room. Everybody was looking around going, ‘Malik, what are you doing in a suit?’” said coach John Fox. “So I’ve met him before. That’s a big reason why we brought him in.”
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Jeff Linkenbach, Other Vets Trying Out For Bears
- The Bears have also brought in several veteran free agents to participate in their weekend minicamp, including four offensive lineman, reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (all Twitter links). Veteran offensive lineman Jeff Linkenbach, who has started 36 career games in Indianapolis and Kansas City, is the most notable name of the group.
Bears Sign Adrian Bellard, Cut Anthony Jefferson
- The Bears announced that they have signed undrafted free agent rookie offensive lineman Adrian Bellard (Texas State), as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle notes (via Twitter) that Bellard received a $7K signing bonus. Meanwhile, defensive back Anthony Jefferson has been placed on waivers.