Gaines Adams A Loss For Family And Team

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Jan 18, 2010 3:30PM

The Bears were dealt some tragic news on Sunday with the death of Gaines Adam, a 26 year old defensive end. Adams apparently died of cardiac arrest that resulted from an enlarged heart. Rushed to an emergency room near his home in South Carolina, he was pronounced dead shortly before 8:30am.

The Bears issued a statement Sunday afternoon, saying, "We are stunned and saddened by the news of Gaines' passing. Our prayers are with his family during this difficult time." A tragedy for family (including two children), friends and teammates of Adams, his untimely death is also a big blow to the Bears hopes of rebuilding their defense. A star at Clemson, Adams was selected fourth overall in the 2007 draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bears traded for the defensive end in October, giving up their second round pick in this year's draft. While Adams had a subpar season in '09, the Bears saw him as a key part of their future. Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, who helped turn linemen like Simeon Rice and Warren Sapp into stars, had coveted Adams since the 2007 draft. And from the glowing comments coming from former teammates and coaches, his influence extended beyond his play on the field.

Without Adams in the picture, Jerry Angelo will have even more work to do in retooling the team's roster. He has no draft picks until the third round this year, and free agents may balk at coming into a situation with a possible lame duck coach. Adam's death only sets the Bears further behind in their plans to turn around a floundering franchise.