Defensive tackle Walker gets 5-year, $25 million deal
BOURBONNAIS -- The Bears and newly acquired defensive tackle Darwin Walker agreed on a five-year, $25 million contract that includes an $8.5 million signing bonus and replaces the final two years of his old pact, which called for base salaries of $1.3 million this year and $1.4 million in 2008.
"It didn't take long for us to see that he was someone we wanted to be around here for a long time, so we're excited about that," Bears coach Lovie Smith said following Tuesday night's practice at Olivet Nazarene's Ward Field.
"(This was) his first day to get a lot of action, and I thought he did a good job. He's a good football player; he should help us a lot."
Walker, an eight-year veteran, is expected to start alongside tackle Tommie Harris. After arriving in camp Sunday, Walker got his first taste of live action Tuesday night.
"I haven't been hit in the head that hard in a long time," he said. "But it's great to get back out here and get back in the mix of football."
Stiff competition: Current starter Mark Anderson and Alex Brown, who started the previous four seasons, are waging a spirited battle for the No. 1 job at defensive right end. But left end Adewale Ogunleye feels as if he's also fighting to keep his job.
"I'm looking at both those guys," he said. "At the end of the day, the (two) best ends are going to play. I know we're (Ogunleye and Anderson) the starters on paper, but Alex is a starter in this league, on any team in the NFL.
"So, do I look at is as if I don't play well, Alex will be there? If Alex and Mark play well, those two guys will be in (the starting lineup). I'm looking at it not only are those two guys competing (against each other), but I'm competing with them."
Because the Bears are likely to play all three extensively, whoever is the odd man out still is expected to play a significant number of snaps.
Rubbing it in: Fourth-string quarterback Chris Leak of Florida was picked off Tuesday morning by safety Chris Harris on a pass intended for tight end John Gilmore that was underthrown by 3 feet.
To make it worse, safety Mike Brown playfully taunted the rookie quarterback with the "Tomahawk Chop," popularized by fans of Florida State, Florida's archrival. Cornerback Nate Vasher chimed in with the accompanying war chant.
"That's the same thing I did to Rex (Grossman) when he was (a rookie)," Brown said with a smile.
Grossman also played at Florida.
Injury update: Missing from Tuesday night's practice were rookie running back Garrett Wolfe (hamstring), tight end Fontel Mines (quad) and rookie defensive end Dan Bazuin, who reinjured the same knee he sprained during minicamp, which kept him sidelined for most of the OTA's in the spring.
Bazuin's injury is considered the most serious, and considering the time he missed in the spring, it could hinder the second-round pick's chances of making the active roster.
Coming and going: Wide receiver Clinton Solomon and tight end Brett Pierce, both free agents, were added to the roster Tuesday, and punter Filip Filipovic was released. Solomon missed part of Tuesday night's workout after getting poked in the eye.
Filipovic, a native of Belgrade, Serbia, played part of the 2002 season with the Cowboys and then spent time on the rosters of five other NFL teams without playing in any regular-season games.