Bears sign TE Spaeth, release Manumaleuna
In a prelude to what will be an even more frantic Friday around the NFL today, the Bears on Thursday agreed to contract terms with players who should become their new punter and new blocking tight end.
Former Jacksonville Jaguars punter Adam Podlesh is poised to sign a contract worth $10 million over five years today at 5 p.m., when unrestricted free agents can officially sign. The deal is expected to make him one of the five highest paid punters in the league.
The 27-year-old Podlesh, who played his first five seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, was a Pro Bowl alternate last season. He replaces Brad Maynard, who was informed earlier in the week that, after 10 seasons in Chicago, he was not in the Bears’ plans for the future.
The Bears also have first-year punter Richmond McGee in camp.
Podlesh’s gross average was a career-best 43.8 yards per punt last season, and he landed 26 (45.6 percent) of his kicks inside the 20-yard line. In four seasons with the Jaguars, the Maryland product’s gross average was 42.6 yards.
Maynard’s gross average last season was 40.1 yards, which was the second-lowest of his 14-year career. Maynard’s net average of 35.2 yards last season was his lowest in the past seven seasons. Podlesh also produced a career-best net average of 39.2 yards last season and has a career net average of 37.8 yards, compared to Maynard’s 36.4.
As with all free agents, Podlesh cannot officially sign with the Bears until Friday, and he is not allowed to practice until Thursday, Aug. 4.
The Bears have also agreed to a contract with unrestricted free agent tight end Matt Spaeth, formerly of the Steelers. Since the 6-foot-7, 270-pound Spaeth is primarily a blocker, he is an ideal replacement for 6-foot-2, 295-pound Brandon Manumaleuna, who was released Thursday afternoon after failing his physical.
The 27-year-old Spaeth caught 9 passes for 80 yards and 1 touchdown last season. His most productive season as a receiver was in 2008, when he caught 17 passes for 136 yards. Spaeth was selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 2007 draft out of Minnesota, where he won the John Mackey Award in 2006 as the best college tight end in the nation.
Spaeth re-signed a one-year deal last year with the Steelers as a restricted free agent for $1.1 million.
Manumaleuna has had two knee surgeries since the Bears acquired him as an unrestricted free agent last off-season, signing him to a five-year, $15 deal that included more than $5 million in guaranteed bonus money.
Manumaleuna caught 5 passes last season for 43 yards and 1 touchdown.