Bears Part Ways With Kreutz, Players Act Like Season Over Already

By Chuck Sudo in News on Aug 1, 2011 9:30PM

The major drama out of Bears training camp in Bourbonnais is the Bears decision to part ways with veteran Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz. Kreutz rejected a one year, $4 million deal and is said to be considering retirement.

Opinion on Kreutz's departure has been largely negative, particularly from his former teammates. To a man, the Bears all admit that Kreutz's skill set has diminished from his All Pro heyday, but it's his command of the locker room that they all say they'll miss the most. Linebacker Brian Urlacher told the Tribune, "no one’s going to be like he was, I’ll tell you that much. There are going to be a lot of guys who are going to have to do it. We’ll get it done somehow on the offensive side of the ball, but it’s not going to be easy."

Safety Chris Harris was damn near in histrionics when the news broke.

Sports reporters are also scratching their heads at the Kreutz departure. The Bears' offensive line was already a question mark heading into training camp. Not having Kreutz in camp makes an already weak o-line weaker and could take some time off of Jay Cutler's career. The Bears signed Seattle Seahawks center Chris Spencer to replace Kreutz, but he's going to have to battle veteran Roberto Garza for the starting center spot. Garza has been a solid, workmanlike lineman over the years but, at 31, he may be just a tad old for the position himself.

Fingers are pointing at Bears GM Jerry Angelo for not being able to sign Kreutz, but Angelo said that the move was strictly business. Angelo also hinted that the $500,000 separating Kreutz from a deal wasn't the only reason they went ahead and signed Spencer.

“There’s more to it than just the dollar sign. Again, it’s a big puzzle. And you just can’t focus on one piece. It doesn’t work that way. It has to come together.

“And we have a lot of things happening at a very fast pace. We didn’t have two months to draw things out, to be patient. We have to move now.”