William Perry reported late and missed the Bears` mandatory team meeting Tuesday.
Six other veterans failed to show because of contract disputes.
Earlier Tuesday, Bears finance director Ted Phillips signed the last of the rookies, defensive back Larry Horton, an eighth-round draft pick from Texas A&M.
The six veteran holdouts are quarterback Jim Harbaugh, fullback Brad Muster, wide receiver Ron Morris, tackle Keith Van Horne, tight end James Thornton and kicker Kevin Butler.
The Bears are not totally indifferent to their training camp holdouts. But they plan to carry on with their agenda of two-a-day practices beginning Wednesday morning.
”I`m optimistic about this year and our opportunities and our chances,” said coach Mike Ditka before the team meeting on the campus of Wisconsin-Platteville. ”I don`t believe too much about what I read or hear. I just think we`ve got a good football team.”
Perry, who could be subject to a fine, had not communicated with Ditka or his teammates since mini-camp in April.
”I know that we can get him in shape,” Ditka said before Perry checked into camp headquarters. ”But it is just that people think I worry about him because I want him to be a great player for the Bears. That`s part of it. But I want him to have a life after football. He`s not going to have a life after football unless he gets himself in physical shape where that excess weight is not a part of his body. And I really mean that. I`m serious.
”Sure, it would be great to see him line up and play like he did in 1985. And I think he will, if his weight is where it should be. If he doesn`t, he doesn`t. We have other people who will play and we`re looking forward to that, too.”
Ditka said the Bears` motto this season will be: Believe and achieve.
”These guys worked hard in the off-season and they remember what happened last year (a 31-3 loss to the Giants in the playoffs). We had a good season (11-5) last year, but we had a bad ending,” Ditka said.
Harbaugh`s holdout does not faze Ditka.
”That is part of the business cycle in this free enterprise system,” he said.
Harbaugh and his agent, Leigh Steinberg, reportedly are seeking a contract in the neigborhood of $1.4 million a year in talks with Phillips. The Bears are countering with an offer of about $800,000. Harbaugh had a base salary of $325,000 last year with numerous incentives that kicked him up to about $500,000.
The going rate for a starting quarterback in the NFL these days is $1 million and up.
Is Harbaugh worth $1 million-plus a year?
”This is funny money, gang,” said Ditka.
”Harbaugh is the starting quarterback. He knows that. Ted knows that. Mike McCaskey (Bears president) knows that, and I know that.
”It is his job, really, to win or lose. There is no other way to look at it. I`m not going to get into those problems right now.”
Second-year quarterback Peter Tom Willis, who missed most of last summer`s training camp in a contract dispute, figures to benefit if Harbaugh`s holdout is extensive.
”I have great respect for P.T., and he knows my feelings about him,”
Ditka said. ”So does Jim. P.T. is going to be a fine quarterback. Right now, Jim Harbaugh is the (starting) quarterback and we`re going to go from there and see what happens.”
The Bears, who have one of their most difficult schedules in years, have an intrasquad scrimmage slated for Saturday.
”Everybody talks about how tough the schedule is. And it is, because first of all we play on different days. And we play good football teams,”
said Ditka, whose club has three Monday night, two Thursday night and one Saturday contest.
”But then again, we had an 11-5 record last year and that makes their
(opponents`) schedule tough, too. I think it kind of balances out.”
Whether Harbaugh or Willis is lining up at quarterback, the Bears plan to simplify the terminology of the passing game.
”Everybody wants to throw the ball a little bit more,” Ditka said. ”We have simplified some of the calls. We tried to take some of the added terminology off the play-(action) pass. I think (offensive cordinator) Greg Landry has done a good job in that area. So it ought to be interesting.”
While many veterans confidently drove up to their campus dormitory on motor bikes, some rookies appeared bewildered in their new surroundings Tuesday.
”I`m just trying to learn my way around,” said rookie first-round pick Stan Thomas of Texas.
