By Brad Biggs
The numbers are in on the Todd Collins contract, detailing just what the compromise was between the veteran quarterback and the Bears.
Collins was signed Monday and will have the opportunity to compete for the No. 2 job behind Jay Cutler in the next 10 days before final roster cuts are due.
Collins was originally offered a one-year contract for the minimum by the Bears. He turned that down. In the compromise, Collins received a deal with a base salary of $1 million this season. The contract does not include a signing or roster bonus, but $100,000 of the base salary is guaranteed against skill, injury and cap, according to multiple league sources who have reviewed the information.
The numbers are in on the Todd Collins contract, detailing just what the compromise was between the veteran quarterback and the Bears.
Collins was signed Monday and will have the opportunity to compete for the No. 2 job behind Jay Cutler in the next 10 days before final roster cuts are due.
Collins was originally offered a one-year contract for the minimum by the Bears. He turned that down. In the compromise, Collins received a deal with a base salary of $1 million this season. The contract does not include a signing or roster bonus, but $100,000 of the base salary is guaranteed against skill, injury and cap, according to multiple league sources who have reviewed the information.
That means if the Bears cut Collins by the Sept. 4 deadline for final cuts, he'll head back to his home in Massachusetts with $100,000 of McCaskey bucks in his wallet. Collins was initially seeking a signing bonus of $150,000.
The 38-year-old Collins is a vested veteran, so if he is on the 53-man roster to begin the season, his $1 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed because he could file for termination pay during the season if he were to be released.
"We told him that if he comes in and shows he can still play -- all veterans have to show us they can play -- that he can win the backup job for the season," general manager Jerry Angelo announced on the team's Web site. "With that being said, however, nothing is set in stone. Caleb (Hanie) hurt his shoulder, so we'll have to wait and see."
It's unknown if Collins will play Saturday night against the Arizona Cardinals when the starters will play into the third quarter. He's expected to get a lot of action Sept. 2 when the Bears close preseason at Cleveland.
The 38-year-old Collins is a vested veteran, so if he is on the 53-man roster to begin the season, his $1 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed because he could file for termination pay during the season if he were to be released.
"We told him that if he comes in and shows he can still play -- all veterans have to show us they can play -- that he can win the backup job for the season," general manager Jerry Angelo announced on the team's Web site. "With that being said, however, nothing is set in stone. Caleb (Hanie) hurt his shoulder, so we'll have to wait and see."
It's unknown if Collins will play Saturday night against the Arizona Cardinals when the starters will play into the third quarter. He's expected to get a lot of action Sept. 2 when the Bears close preseason at Cleveland.
so how many QB's do we have now?
Cutler
Gutierrez
Collins
Hanie
LeFevour
I am really hoping that we can get LeFevour on our practice squad and no one else pick him up off waivers. The kid has potential.
3rd QB's shouldn't be draft picks, they should be undrafted free agents. For a team that had as many holes as it has, drafting LeFevour was a luxury move and not a necessity. They have a young starting QB and they have a backup who was an undrafted FA. Why take LeFevour? One thing Angelo has shown with his drafting is that he can find solid value in the late rounds. Taking an OL or DB with the 6th round pick would have made much more choice. LeFevour is not strong armed and is a mobile QB- exactly the type of guy that doesn't fit into Martz's offense. I'm curious who decided to pull the trigger on him.
LeFevour looked good last Saturday on that drive to the goal line. He could have been helped out more if the receivers caught his passes (two were dropped, and a third probably should have been caught). The interception was ugly, but what rookie does not have a bad pick or two or three in the preseason? He could have been a good QB for the Bears in a few years. Now, he'll be picked off the practice squad for a more patient team to develop.
"you can always pick up a decent QB"
Ah, how soon we forget.......
"It was a wasted draft pick on QB Dan LeFevour in the six round.Bears could have addressed another need as you can always pick up a decent QB"
It was the sixth round pick....who do you think they were going to get that would be a better value?
LeFevour is a very good QB, who has not been given a fair tryout yet. He didn't get any snaps until the day before his first action. Martz' offense is difficult enough to pick up without getting any reps. It's a timing offense, so reps are vitally important. It is impossible to learn the timing with mental reps.
My concern is more that he won't make it to the practice squad (which is, I believe, the Bears plans for him.) because someone else will see the value and grab him off waivers.
It was a wasted draft pick on QB Dan LeFevour in the six round.Bears could have addressed another need as you can always pick up a decent QB