The Bears terminated the contract of tight end Michael Gaines on Saturday to clear a roster spot for defensive end Gaines Adams, whom they acquired from the Bucs on Friday for a second-round pick next season.

Gaines, who was signed away from the Lions as an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, appeared in one game this season with no receptions.

Adams, the fourth overall pick in the 2007 draft, was at Halas Hall Saturday and flew to Atlanta with his new teammates for Sunday night's game against the Falcons. He played in the same Cover-2 scheme the Bears run for the first two years of his career in Tampa, totaling 121/2 sacks, before the Bucs changed schemes this year under new coach Raheem Morris.

"He's prototypical of what we look for in a defensive end, particularly on the right side," Bears general manager Angelo said Saturday on the team's Web site. "When you think of him, the first thing you think of is his athleticism, and obviously you have to have a high level of that to be a pass rusher in this league.

"We just think that getting back into a scheme that facilitates his traits, given how we feel about our coaches and our defense, makes him a good fit for us."