Sunday, March 03, 2002
Bears re-sign QB Miller
Enquirer news services
CHICAGO — Quarterback Jim Miller, who led Chicago to its first NFC Central Division championship in 11 years last season, agreed to a five-year contract with the Bears that could be worth $20 million, his agent said.
“I'm excited about the future of this football team,” Miller told the team's Web site. “I definitely wanted to be a part of it.”
Miller's contract is worth $12 million over five seasons, including a $2 million signing bonus, agent Joe Linta said. Incentives, including leading the Bears to the Super Bowl, could push the total value of the contract to $20 million.
Miller, 31, had an 11-2 record as a starter in 2001 after starting just six games in his seven previous NFL seasons. He passed for 2,299 yards last season, with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Miller suffered a separated shoulder during the second quarter of Chicago's 33-19 loss to Philadelphia in a divisional playoff game, but he will enter training camp as the undisputed starter for the first time since he joined the Bears in 1998. He started the 1996 opener for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but was benched in favor of Mike Tomczak at halftime.
“This is big for me,” said Miller, who also has played with Jacksonville, Atlanta and Detroit. “I've always had to scratch and claw for everything.”
The other quarterbacks on the Bears' roster are Shane Matthews and Henry Burris. Chicago lost third-stringer Danny Wuerffel in the expansion draft to the Houston Texans.
RAMS:
Former Minnesota receiver Cris Carter is talking with St. Louis about joining the NFC champions next season.
Carter called Rams coach Mike Martz to express his interest in playing for St. Louis.
“That's all taking place in Indianapolis at the (NFL scouting) combine,” Rams spokesman Rick Smith said Saturday. “Something is going on there. I would expect they would visit with Carter next week.”
Mitch Frankel, Carter's agent, was scheduled to meet with Rams vice president Jay Zygmunt Saturday in Indianapolis.
Carter, 36, who is seeking a two-year deal for $3million, voided his Minnesota contract before the start of the free agency period. He was scheduled to earn $3.875 next year as well as a $2 million roster bonus that was due Friday.
Carter would be the No.3 receiver in St. Louis, behind Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. He caught 73 passes for 871 yards and six touchdowns last season and has 1,093 career catches, second to Jerry Rice in NFL history.
Martz said if the Rams sign Carter, he would still be interested in keeping receiver Ricky Proehl, who is an unrestricted free agent.
• The agent for defensive end Leonard Little has rejected a five-year contract from the Rams that would have paid him $3.5million a year. That offer included a $5 million bonus.
49ERS:
Center Jeremy Newberry re-signed with his hometown team, receiving a six-year, $20 million deal. He made his first Pro Bowl last season.
“I'm happy here, my family's here, and I'm glad they thought enough of me to get this deal done,” Newberry said.
Full terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Newberry, a four-year veteran, got a $5 million signing bonus.
Running back Garrison Hearst, safety Lance Schulters and fullback Fred Beasley also are free agents. Hearst has met with officials from Cleveland and Atlanta, and Schulters has attracted the attention of several teams.
“Those are all good friends of mine, and the more people we can get to come back, the better we'll be,” Newberry said. “Hopefully, everybody will be back. If they're not, we'll get it done. We'll be all right either way.”
CARDINALS:
Offensive tackle Anthony Clement agreed to a five-year contract. Financial terms were not released.
The 6-foot-8, 350-pound Clement has started 45 consecutive games at right tackle for Arizona.
Coach Dave McGinnis said re-signing Clement, a free agent, was important because he wanted to keep the his line together.
“It is an important step in the forward progress our team and franchise are making,” McGinnis said.
He called Clement “an important part of what we're building in Arizona.”
Clement, 25, was a second-round pick, the 36th choice overall, in the 1998 draft out of Southwest Louisiana. He has appeared in 48 games, 46 of them starts.
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Bears re-sign QB Miller
