Bears Seal Deal With Peppers, Taylor

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Mar 5, 2010 8:20PM

As we suspected, the Bears made a big splash to open the 2010 free agent season, landing running back Chester Taylor (formerly of the Vikings) to a four-year, $12.5 million deal with $7 million guaranteed. And now word is that the team is finalizing an agreement with former Panthers DE Julius Peppers, the most highly sought after player in this year's free agent class. Sources are putting that deal at six years, $72 million; reports say as much as $45 million will be weighted to the first three years of the contract. Both deals are in addition to their earlier signing of TE Brandon Manumaleuna.

If the Peppers deal fleshes out, it's a big splash for a team that, frankly, needed it. That said, Peppers teamed with a healthy Urlacher should give plenty for opposing offensives to fear next season.