27 year old DT Tommie Harris played in 15 games last season recording only 13 tackles and two sacks.

He has gone through many knee surgeries through his NFL career, he showed up late in the season and did very well. Week 17 against the Packers and the divisional round game against the Seahawks.

He didn’t play that well against the Packers in the NFC Championship, but not a lot of the Bears defense played that well either.

In seven seasons in Chicago, Harris appeared in 104 games making 215 tackles, 29 sacks, one interception, five fumbles and four deflected passes.

A first round pick in 2004, Harris started his Bears career off very well, but he got banged up over the years suffering knee injuries in 2006 and 2007. Harris has been hampered by the injuries and it has affected his play ever since.

He used to command a double team during his prime years. He is owed a $2.5 million bonus before June 1 and the Bears might not pay him that bonus considering the talent they have on the defensive line.

They also are worried about the other needs on the team ahead of defensive tackle for the upcoming season. Among those needs are WR, OL, and CB.

With Henry Melton, Matt Toeaina, Marcus Harrison under contract and Anthony Adams an unrestricted free agent, the Bears might be inclined to re-sign the steady DT Anthony Adams over bringing Tommie Harris back with the money coming his way.

Will the Bears keep Tommie Harris? That question will lurk Halas Hall until June 1, as of now I would say it is 50-50 shot on his return.

I think bringing Harris back would be a wise idea, he clearly still has talent. His big sack in week 17 against the Packers and his two sack performance against the Seahawks in the playoffs shows he clearly still has talent.

The Bears should keep Tommie Harris, the defense needs to stay intact because the offense doesn’t carry the Bears and it never has.

Bear Down!