Al Fontenot was no accident. Sure, losing the starting defensive left end to the Indianapolis Colts last week was a byproduct of a rigid salary cap. But Bears coach Dave Wannstedt also wants it known that the team is not left feeling defeated.
“We wanted to keep Al, but we were also committed that John Thierry was going to play this year, and if we didn’t feel good about that, then we would have done something different about Al, to be quite honest,” Wannstedt said. “The bottom line is if we didn’t believe (Thierry) could be a front-line player or if we felt we were going to go backward at that position, we would have adjusted our priorities.”
Thierry, a first-round draft pick in 1994 and 11th overall, is one of five potential changes among the defensive starters. Former Washington Redskins cornerback Tom Carter looks to be a lock to replace Donnell Woolford after signing a five-year, $13.8 million offer sheet last week. Washington promptly agreed to terms with former Oilers cornerback Cris Dishman, a sure sign it will not match the Bears’ offer to Carter.
At linebacker, incumbent starters Vinson Smith and Joe Cain remain free agents with intentions of going elsewhere if the price is right. And Wannstedt has said that free safety will be a battle between seven-year veteran Mark Carrier and former free agent Anthony Marshall, who started coming into his own in his third NFL season.
But Wannstedt said he is not alarmed by all the possible changes, mostly because he does not view replacements such as Thierry, Barry Minter at linebacker and Carter as second-teamers.
“Continuity is critical, there’s no question,” he said. “But probably more important than continuity is having the best players you can get. You can have great continuity, but if the other team has better players, you’re not going to win. And you have to sacrifice some continuity if you have a chance to get better players.”
In comparing the Bears’ defense with last year’s at this time, Wannstedt said they’re about the same. Because for every Al Fontenot lost, he said, there is an improved Carl Simpson, a player he thought might not make the team last year.
“Carl is working out like a madman,” Wannstedt said. “We’re going to leave him at tackle for now and see how things unfold. He wants to get in there to rush the passer on third down, and we want him to.”
Simpson said that’s what he has in mind.
“Anybody who wants to compete wants to be out there every down,” he said. “It may be different next season, but sometimes change is better. If you can’t get it done a certain way, you have to make changes.”
For Thierry, a standup linebacker in college, anything more than limited action on passing downs would be a change for the better. But Wannstedt said he is counting on more.
“Thierry has to come on and do what we drafted him to do,” he said. “He’s really excited–for the first time, he knows where he’s going to be playing. For the first time there’s a commitment there, and he has to line up and go.”
As the NFL draft April 19-20 draws near, Wannstedt said the Bears are still looking at addressing the need for a third-down running back/return man, following the release of Robert Green. And depending on whether they can retain center Jerry Fontenot, as well as Cain and Smith, those positions become priorities as well.
Meanwhile, Ted Phillips, Bears vice president of operations, said he is busy trying to restructure contracts in order to give the Bears more flexibility with free agents. Among the candidates for a pay cut are Carrier and Chris Zorich, who Wannstedt said is coming along nicely after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last season.
“We’re trying to do everything we can to keep as many guys as we can,” Wannstedt said. “It’s a tough call. But it’s the way the game has changed more than anything. And the fact is that every team is doing it. As a player, it comes down to how bad do you want to play or do you have a better opportunity elsewhere? If they do, we’re going to lose guys. But if they don’t, and they’re strong character guys, then they’re going to accept it.”
