The Bears have several players heading into the final year of their contracts and it doesn’t look like any of them will be securing their futures in Chicago or elsewhere until after the 2013 season comes to an end.
Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com reports that General Manager Phil Emery said at a Wednesday press conference that the team does not anticipate extending any contracts during the season. Emery also said that he has not picked up on any bad vibes from veterans with expiring deals about that stance, which allows everyone to focus on the task at hand rather than dividing attention between the field and negotiations.
Defensive tackle Henry Melton can’t get a new deal during the season by virtue of the rules for franchise-tagged players while quarterback Jay Cutler, cornerback Charles Tillman, cornerback Tim Jennings, center Roberto Garza and safety Major Wright are five starters who won’t need to think about contract talks during the season. With a new coach in Marc Trestman and Emery in his second year running the personnel shop, it seems the Bears want to see their veterans prove their worth during the year before deciding who will be sticking around.
Tillman said earlier this offseason that the Bears are in the “winning now business.” If business isn’t good, the team could wind up looking a lot different when next season rolls around.