tparich Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 http://espn.go.com/c...se-chris-harris CHICAGO -- A little more than a week after requesting a trade, safety Chris Harris has been released by the Chicago Bears. "This caught me as a surprise and it didn't catch me as a surprise," Harris said Thursday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000. "It caught me as a surprise coming off a start and then going into the office on Thursday and being told I'm being released. Waddle & Silvy Chris Harris joined "Waddle & Silvy" barely two hours after learning he had been released by the Bears. More Podcasts » "But then again it doesn't catch me as a surprise because in the seven years I've been in the league I've experienced the highs and lows. I've been traded and things of that nature. I've been benched. I've come to realize that in this business nothing is for certain." The 29-year-old Harris was a second-team All-Pro last season and started the Bears' season-opening victory over the Atlanta Falcons before pulling a hamstring toward the end of the game. Harris sat out the next three weeks to recover, and he returned to the lineup in an Oct. 10 loss to the Detroit Lions. In that game, Calvin Johnson beat Harris deep on a 73-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford. "I felt good enough to play. I'm not going to say I was 100 percent healthy when we played Detroit, but I felt good enough to play," Harris said. "I'm 100 percent healthy now. I played last week. I thought I played OK last week, and I feel 100 percent healthy. I feel good." Three days after the Lions game, the Bears made the decision to bench Harris. He was available to play as a potential backup in the Oct. 16 win over the Minnesota Vikings, but the team made the decision hours before kickoff to deactivate him. The next day, Harris requested permission to seek a trade. Last Tuesday's trade deadline passed without a move, and Harris actually started against Tampa Bay on Sunday in London. ESPNChicago.com Bears blog Get the latest Bears news from ESPN Chicago.com's Jeff Dickerson and Michael Wright. Blog• Bears Center | ESPNChicago.com • ESPN.com: NFC North "Considering that he was benched, I can't say I'm surprised," Harris' agent, Albert Elias, said of the Bears' decision to release his client. Rookie Chris Conte started the past two games and figures to be the starter along with second-year safety Major Wright, who was inactive against Tampa Bay because of a hip injury. "They chose to go with the future and Chris Conte and Major Wright are the future," Harris said. "You don't spend third-round draft picks on guys to sit (them)." The Bears drafted Conte in the third round (93rd overall) of this year's draft, and selected Wright in the third round (75th) in 2010. "We're trying to win a championship, Bears coach Lovie Smith said after practice on Thursday. "The guys we're keeping here I feel like give us our best chance to do it." In his second stint with the Bears after the club traded last year with Carolina to bring him back, Harris was in the final year of the contract he signed upon returning. "They made changes at the positions they felt they could make changes at," Harris said. "You can't make changes at every single position on the team. It's just not possible due to depth and things of that nature. I'll kind of leave that one at that. Safety was one of the positions we had depth at and that was a position they felt they wanted to change." Harris has played in 88 career games with 82 starts over seven seasons, and has posted 416 tackles and 15 interceptions, in addition to forcing 12 fumbles. "It's football. It's the NFL," Bears defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said. "This is what this league's about. We've just got the utmost respect for him. He is a tough, great competitor, great veteran. He brought a lot to us too. Obviously, those moves are always tough, because he's such a special person. We made a decision and now we move forward." ------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't really know a lot about him. A bears friend said he was not great but pretty damn solid. Think we take a look? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn306 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 SIGN THIS BEAST !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleedin Green Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 If he doesn't trip and fall flat on his face or go diving past a ball-carrier 5 times a game than he would surely be an upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aten Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 If he doesn't trip and fall flat on his face or go diving past a ball-carrier 5 times a game than he would surely be an upgrade. Harris is terrible. About ten of those fumbles came in the one good season he had by accident. Chicago doesn't get rid of safeties. They're paying Merriwether god knows how much to not play, and this guy they cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonehands Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Harris is terrible. About ten of those fumbles came in the one good season he had by accident. Chicago doesn't get rid of safeties. They're paying Merriwether god knows how much to not play, and this guy they cut. I think while some of what you say is true, let's remember what we have here. Chicago drafted a safety in each of the last two drafts in the third round and will be handing the job to those two guys. We have no one on our roster that is a 3rd round talent playing safety. So, while he may have been edged out in Chicago, he still could be an upgrade over what we have going on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsjetsjetss Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I think while some of what you say is true, let's remember what we have here. Chicago drafted a safety in each of the last two drafts in the third round and will be handing the job to those two guys. We have no one on our roster that is a 3rd round talent playing safety. So, while he may have been edged out in Chicago, he still could be an upgrade over what we have going on here. translation= he is better then smith lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleedin Green Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Harris is terrible. About ten of those fumbles came in the one good season he had by accident. Chicago doesn't get rid of safeties. They're paying Merriwether god knows how much to not play, and this guy they cut. Oh, I don't doubt it, just using it as an opportunity to take a shot at the awfullness that is Eric Smith. While I haven't seen Harris play a ton, when a starting safety is getting cut midseason by one of the league's worst pass D's, that tells you all you really need to know about how well he's played. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbatesman Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I think while some of what you say is true, let's remember what we have here. Chicago drafted a safety in each of the last two drafts in the third round and will be handing the job to those two guys. We have no one on our roster that is a 3rd round talent playing safety. So, while he may have been edged out in Chicago, he still could be an upgrade over what we have going on here. That Harris got benched for Major Wright is the biggest reason not to sign him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsFanInDenver Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 At this time of the year if any player becomes available there is usually baggage involved. So he is recovering from an injury and not 100%. Does not look so promising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightCash Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I think while some of what you say is true, let's remember what we have here. Chicago drafted a safety in each of the last two drafts in the third round and will be handing the job to those two guys. We have no one on our roster that is a 3rd round talent playing safety. So, while he may have been edged out in Chicago, he still could be an upgrade over what we have going on here. Eric Smith is third round talent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleedin Green Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Eric Smith is third round talent. Eric Smith was a third round pick. Eric Smith is a 7th round talent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonehands Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Eric Smith is third round talent. And most draft experts felt it was a huge reach and that Eric Smith may have been an UDFA that year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyHector Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 And most draft experts felt it was a huge reach and that Eric Smith may have been an UDFA that year. No chance he would've been a UDFA with his combine numbers and grittiness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleedin Green Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 No chance he would've been a UDFA with his combine numbers and grittiness. And did you see his lunchpail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Smith and Leonhard are horrible. There's nothing else that I can say to make it any clearer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spjets Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 They're paying Merriwether god knows how much to not play, and this guy they cut. 3.5 mill.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsFanInDenver Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Eric Smith is the Lito Sheppard of 2009! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I think while some of what you say is true, let's remember what we have here. Chicago drafted a safety in each of the last two drafts in the third round and will be handing the job to those two guys. We have no one on our roster that is a 3rd round talent playing safety. So, while he may have been edged out in Chicago, he still could be an upgrade over what we have going on here. Have to wonder why they wold draft a safety early two years in a row. Must have been something they really didn't like about Harris. Pass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larz Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 so het got benched for a rookie pass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tparich Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 Aaron Maybin was cut by the Bills after looking hopeless.....Just saying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BroadwayJoe12 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 He may be a better overall talent than smith, but I think people underestimate how much of a hindrance to your play it is when you don't know the playbook inside and out. Coming onto a team halfway into the season with a defensive scheme as complicated as Rex's, there's no way he'd start over Smith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonehands Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Harris was claimed on waivers by the Lions. They will inherit his original contract from the Bears. The Lions need help, but this speaks volumes about how he was viewed in the league, but at least one team. Didn't even clear waivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashmouth Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 STMFB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashmouth Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 NM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashmouth Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE ILK Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Smash is my GM, but I have not figured out if we want him yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 I still think if Kerry Rhodes dropped the marketing campaign about being a superstar and worked hard, that Rex and Pettine would have kept him... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smashmouth Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Smash is my GM, but I have not figured out if we want him yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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