Bears Interview Marshaun Coprich
- Illinois State running back/wide receiver Marshaun Coprich interviewed with the Colts and Bears, per Pauline. The Colts in particular are high on his skill set.
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Saints May Match Bears' Offer Sheet For Hill
- It’s not out the question that Josh Hill returns after the tight end inked the Bears’ offer sheet, the coach told reporters (including Larry Holder of The Times-Picayune). Payton and GM Mickey Loomis will discuss Hill further today.
Bears Sign TE Josh Hill To Offer Sheet
WEDNESDAY, 6:58am: ESPN’s Mike Triplett and Adam Caplan provide a few more details on Hill’s offer sheet from the Bears, reporting that the three-year deal can be worth up to $7.5MM, and features $3.25MM in guaranteed money.
TUESDAY, 4:38pm: Hill’s offer sheet is worth in the neighborhood of $2MM annually, per Biggs, who notes that the Saints have less than $1.3MM in cap space (Twitter link).
4:01pm: The Bears have signed restricted free agent tight end Josh Hill to an offer sheet, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter links). According to Biggs, Hill got a three-year deal, which New Orleans will have five days to match. Because 
the Saints assigned Hill a low-end RFA tender, they won’t receive any compensation if they decide not to match Chicago’s offer.
Hill, 25, is coming off a career-high 16-catch season, though he averaged just 7.5 yards per reception. The three-year veteran set personal marks in yards (176), YPC (12.5) and touchdowns (five) during a 14-catch showing in 2014. Prior to signing with the Bears, whom he met with Monday, Hill visited the Jets last week.
The Bears have a No. 1 tight end in Zach Miller, but they may have created a need in the top two last week when they traded Martellus Bennett to the Patriots. Rob Housler is currently the top reserve behind Miller, though adding Hill could put his spot in jeopardy. The Saints, meanwhile, signed ex-Colt Coby Fleener to a five-year, $36MM deal when free agency opened and have Michael Hoomanawanui as a backup.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bears Talking Long-Term Deal With Alshon Jeffery, Hosting Omar Bolden
- Bears head coach John Fox and Jets owner Woody Johnson each discussed their franchised players on Monday, and the differences in their comments were noticeable. As Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com details, Fox said on ESPN’s NFL Live that the Bears are actively working on a longer-term deal for wide receiver Alshon Jeffery.
- The Broncos continue to have interest in re-signing receiver and return man Jordan Norwood, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Renck adds that free agent special-teamer Omar Bolden is set to visit John Fox and the Bears this week.
TE Josh Hill Visiting Bears
- After paying a visit to the Jets last week, Saints RFA tight end Josh Hill is meeting with the Bears today, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). New Orleans would have the opportunity to match any offer sheet Hill signs with another team.
Kyle Long Currently Bears' Right Guard; Chicago Interested In More TE Help?
- Kyle Long would play right guard for the Bears with the personnel that’s presently on the roster, John Fox told media (including Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune) from the spring meetings. A two-time Pro Bowl guard who earned an additional Pro Bowl nod upon being moved to right tackle in 2015, Long moving back there would stem from the Bears adding Bobby Massie in free agency. Long’s performance appeared to dip last season, however, with Pro Football Focus ranking him as its 37th-best tackle. The Bears trotted out Charles Leno at left tackle last season.
- Fox said the Bears weren’t done in free agency, and Biggs hears from a source the team is looking to add a tight end this week. After keeping Zach Miller and trading Martellus Bennett, the Bears have Rob Housler under contract as well. Biggs points out Jared Cook could be a fit after playing for new OC Dowell Loggains with the Titans. The Bears haven’t allocated much money to the position, with Miller receiving a two-year, $6MM deal.
Bears To Meet With Oklahoma State DE Emmanuel Ogbah
- Oklahoma State defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah has lined up visits with the Bears and Buccaneers, he told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Contract Details For Mitch Unrein, Marc Mariani
- Mitch Unrein, DL (Bears): Two years, $2.26MM. $500K guaranteed. $300K signing bonus. $200K roster bonus due April 1. $500K base escalator for 2017 (Twitter link).
- Marc Mariani, WR (Bears): One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K signing bonus (Twitter link).
Bears Still Looking For TEs
- The Bears are not done exploring the tight end market after re-signing Zach Miller on Monday, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets.
Patriots Acquire Martellus Bennett From Bears
THURSDAY, 11:08am: The Patriots (press release) and Bears (press release) have both officially announced the trade, confirming the terms as reported below.
WEDNESDAY, 6:16pm: A day after sending defensive end Chandler Jones to Arizona, the Patriots have agreed to another trade. This time, New England will receive tight end Martellus Bennett from the Bears in exchange for draft-pick compensation, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.
The Patriots will give up a fourth-round selection and get a sixth-rounder back, according to Tom Curran of CSNNE (Twitter link). Specifically, the Bears will receive the 127th choice this year in exchange for No. 204, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter).
In acquiring Bennett, the Patriots will add another major threat at the tight end position to accompany superstar Rob Gronkowski. Bennett, 29, has been a prolific pass catcher throughout his eight-year career, having hauled in 348 receptions and 23 touchdowns. The 6-foot-6, 273-pounder, like the 6-6, 265-pound Gronkowski, possesses great size. Bennett also has a positive track record of production, having eclipsed the 50-catch mark in four straight seasons. He added personal highs in receptions (90), yardage (916) and touchdowns (six) in 2014 en route to his only Pro Bowl trip.
Bennett’s numbers declined last season to 53 grabs, a paltry 8.3 yards-per-catch average and three TDs in 11 games. But he’ll nonetheless serve as an upgrade over the Pats’ previous second tight end, Scott Chandler, and give them their most talented TE duo since the Gronkowski-Aaron Hernandez tandem. Chandler, whom New England released earlier this winter, was due to count upward of $3MM on its cap in 2016 after a 23-catch season. Bennett carries a cap charge of over $5MM next season, the last year of his contract. The Pats are also responsible for his $100K workout bonus.
Trading Bennett will leave Chicago with $1.125MM in dead money, but the fact that the team is moving on from him comes as no surprise. As of earlier this month, the Bears were said to be working on dealing Bennett. Further, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link), they had been trying to trade Bennett for 18 months. In the wake of his Pro Bowl season, Bennett skipped the Bears’ voluntary OTAs last spring in hopes of landing a raise and an extension. That didn’t work, however, and the emergence of Zach Miller in the Bears’ offense last season made Bennett even more expendable to Chicago. The Bears re-signed Miller to a two-year, $6MM deal earlier this week, further sealing Bennett’s fate in the Windy City.
Meanwhile, after a quiet start to the offseason, the Patriots have had an action-packed week. Prior to acquiring Bennett, they signed receiver Chris Hogan, landed a second-round pick and guard Jonathan Cooper in the Jones trade, and came to terms with defensive end Chris Long on a low-cost deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.