Bears do some roster cleaning
It wasn't quite the same as Michael Corleone settling all family business in one day, but the Bears on Monday began what could just be the start of their purge of high-priced veterans.
They cut 34-year-old wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad with three years left on the six-year, $30 million contract he signed three years ago and, as expected, decided not to pay ineffective, 30-year-old defensive tackle Darwin Walker a $5.2 million roster bonus.
The release of 35-year-old offensive right tackle Fred Miller became official an hour later.
Miller, like Muhammad a 12-year veteran, signed a five-year, $22.5 million deal before the 2005 season. His release will save the Bears several million dollars since his base salary for 2008 would have been $4 million, and he was due a $500,000 roster bonus on March 4.
On the flip side, a year after giving his starting job at defensive right end to Mark Anderson, the Bears rewarded Alex Brown with a two-year contract extension, apparently realizing the error of their ways. Brown, who outplayed Anderson last season, is signed through 2011.
When the Bears signed Muhammad on Feb. 27, 2005, they were desperate for help at wide receiver. The Michigan State product was coming off a career season with the Carolina Panthers -- 93 catches for 1,405 yards and 16 touchdowns, including 12 in his final eight games.
But Muhammad never approached those numbers in Chicago, and he managed just 12 more touchdowns in three full seasons with the Bears. He was their leading receiver in 2005 with 64 catches for 750 yards and in 2006 with 60 catches for 863 yards.
But his production continued to decline last season, when he had 40 catches for 570 yards, his lowest totals in 10 years.
The loss of Muhammad, who turns 35 on May 5, leaves the Bears in a tenuous position at wide receiver.
Bernard Berrian, who supplanted Muhammad as the team's go-to receiver last season, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent Feb. 29, and he would be one of the marquee attractions in a weak crop of wideouts.
Although Berrian caught 71 passes for 951 yards last season, the Bears had seemed content to let him test the market, although the release of Muhammad may indicate they're rethinking that stance.
They could also decide to use the franchise tag on Berrian, which would keep him in Chicago for another year while guaranteeing him a $7.8 million salary.
Walker was expected to provide the Bears with another capable starter when he was acquired last summer in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.
But shortly after signing a five-year, $25 million deal, Walker became a nonfactor, unable to overcome nagging injuries. He had just 18 tackles in the final 12 games and 1 sack all season.
Muhammad and Walker might soon be followed out of Halas Hall by other high-priced veterans whose production isn't commensurate with their salaries.
Safety Mike Brown has missed 43 of the past 64 games with injuries, and safety Adam Archuleta was benched last season after 11 games. Nickel corner Ricky Manning Jr. also is a potential casualty.