Bears badly need defensive tackle
Tommie Harris made three straight Pro Bowls, from 2005-07, and he was the quintessential, disruptive 3-technique tackle that the Bears crave in their Cover-2 scheme.
But Harris’ play had deteriorated so badly since his last Pro Bowl trip, that the Bears cut him on Feb. 28 rather than pay him a $2.5 million roster bonus, a $500,000 workout bonus and a $2.31 million base salary for 2011.
Now, the Bears badly need a 3-technique tackle to replace Harris, and his successor is not on the current roster.
In addition, Anthony Adams, who has played on the nose and at the 3 technique, is an unrestricted free agent. Even if the Bears re-sign the underrated, underappreciated Adams, which they should, they’re still thin at a position that general manager Jerry Angelo and coach Lovie Smith have prioritized. The 6-foot, 310-pound Adams is a bit undersized for the nose, but he is active and has enough quickness to be disruptive.
Marcus Harrison (6-3, 312), a third-round pick in 2008, showed flashes as a rookie playing both DT positions, but he has been a career underachiever who seems to have regressed. He lacks a great work ethic and, as a result, suited up for just five games in 2010 and finished the season with 1 tackle. The hope for Harrison is that more snaps in training camp and the preseason will motivate him to put forth more of an effort and make an impact. If not, he won’t be back next season and, depending how the draft and free agency go, he might already be playing for a roster spot.
Solid, blue-collar worker Matt Toeaina was given a contract extension late last season. But the 6-foot-2, 308-pounder is more of a role player and, although he can also play both DT spots, he’s better suited to nose tackle.
Six-foot-3, 260-pound Henry Melton opened some eyes last year, but that was as a situational tackle, where he displayed some pass-rush ability, notching 2 1/2 sacks in limited snaps.
The full-time tackles - Adams, Toeaina, Harris and Harrison - had a total of 5 1/2 sacks. Harris had 8 all by himself in his last Pro Bowl season.
Need: 8 (On a scale with 10 representing a dire need and 1 representing no need at all).
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