Bears agree to terms with tight end Michael Gaines

[Pixote]

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5817

 

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears on Monday agreed to terms on a one-year contract with tight end Michael Gaines.

 

The 6-4, 277-pounder has appeared in 73 games with 41 starts in five NFL seasons with the Carolina Panthers (2004-06), Buffalo Bills (2007) and Detroit Lions (2008).Gaines is a strong inline blocker who’s athletic enough to also line up at fullback. He is similar in playing style to ex-Bears tight end John Gilmore and could fill the same type of role.

 

“It’s an unreal moment for me right now, just because of who the Bears are, what the organization is and the winning tradition,” Gaines said. “It feels good in that aspect.”

 

Gaines has caught 79 career passes for 810 yards and 5 touchdowns. Last season he had 23 receptions for a career-high 260 yards and 1 TD in 16 games with six starts for the winless Lions.

 

Gaines, who entered the NFL in 2004 as a seventh-round pick (232nd overall) with the Panthers, was also drawing free-agent interest from the New York Jets. But he chose to sign with the Bears, even though he will be behind Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen on the depth chart.

 

“I never thought I’d be playing for Chicago because of the situation they have,” said Gaines, a 29-year-old Central Florida product. “But this is a privilege that they see me in so many different ways.

 

“The Bears had a plan for me. You can’t beat that when people have a goal and a plan mapped out for you at your position. If you put both [the Bears and Jets] together and looked at them on paper, the Jets made sense. But like I said, the Bears had a plan for me and there was just something about Chicago.”

[bradjock]

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5817

 

That's awesome!!! Seriously. We've lacked a "heavy" run-blocker since Gilmore left. Nice pick-up.

 

I do wonder if it spells the end of McKie. Gaines is like McKie in that he has the ability to run-block and occassionally catch a pass. The only difference is that Gaines is much bigger, and we couldn't utilize him as a running-back the way we did McKie. Considering our "McKie trickery" often failed miserably . . . I just don't see the point in keeping him.

 

Why not keep 4 TE's & utilize more multiple TE packages?

[madlithuanian]

Good solid pick up!

 

I sure hope it's the end of McKie...

 

That's awesome!!! Seriously. We've lacked a "heavy" run-blocker since Gilmore left. Nice pick-up.

 

I do wonder if it spells the end of McKie. Gaines is like McKie in that he has the ability to run-block and occassionally catch a pass. The only difference is that Gaines is much bigger, and we couldn't utilize him as a running-back the way we did McKie. Considering our "McKie trickery" often failed miserably . . . I just don't see the point in keeping him.

 

Why not keep 4 TE's & utilize more multiple TE packages?

[HoofHearted]

Nice, there's our situational blocker. Also, for those who wonder if this means McKie is gone, doubtful. Not only does Turner love his traditional FB, but Gaines isn't exactly experienced working out of the backfield. Like I said in the other thread, I would love to ditch Jason, but Michael is very much a situational player.

[balta1701-A]

Why not keep 4 TE's & utilize more multiple TE packages?

 

Unfortunately this team is actually going to start running in to limits on roster spots pretty soon. They try to keep extra depth in the D-Backfield because they don't have anything firm there, there's extra guys along the D-Line from the drafting, we've added 3 O-linemen this year and had 1 retire and only 1 left via FA, there's a couple new WR out there, etc. A team can only keep extra depth at so many positions.

 

Would be kinda nice if the NFL expanded the rosters a bit one of these years.