TRADE: Chris Harris for Jamar Williams

[bearsfanuk]

Bears land Chris Harris in trade for Jamar Williams

By: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 4/27/2010 3:17 PM LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears on Tuesday bolstered their secondary by reacquiring veteran safety Chris Harris from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for linebacker Jamar Williams.

Harris played his first two NFL seasons with the Bears after being selected by Chicago in the sixth round of the 2005 draft. The 6-foot, 205-pounder was then traded to the Panthers on Aug. 2, 2007 for a 2008 fifth-round draft pick that the Bears spent on cornerback Zackary Bowman.

Safety Chris Harris returns a Peyton Manning interception in Super Bowl XLI.
In five NFL seasons, Harris has appeared in 69 games with 64 starts, registering 338 tackles, 10 interceptions, 22 passes defensed and 12 forced fumbles.

As a rookie with the Bears in 2005, Harris started 13 of 14 games played at free safety, recording 70 tackles, three interceptions and eight pass breakups. He picked off two Brett Favre passes in the fourth quarter of a division-clinching win over the Packers in Green Bay on Christmas Day.

Harris appeared in 11 games with seven starts in 2007, missing five contests with ankle and quadriceps injuries. After opening the year at free safety, he started the final five regular-season games and all three playoff contests, including Super Bowl XLI, at strong safety.

Harris registered 54 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups. His interception of Peyton Manning in Super Bowl XLI was the first by a Bears safety in the post-season since Mark Carrier in a 1991 win over the New Orleans Saints.

Harris started 44 games in three seasons with the Panthers, all at strong safety. He led the NFL with eight forced fumbles in 2007, and then forced two fumbles in each of the past two seasons. One of those came against Bears tight end Greg Olsen in a Carolina victory in 2008.

Harris is the fourth player the Bears have added to the secondary this offseason. They also signed free agent cornerback Tim Jennings and drafted Florida safety Major Wright in the third round and Kansas State cornerback Joshua Moore in the fifth round with two of their first three picks.

[terry]

Jamar looks a good player indeed but not much playing time with our great LBs...much needed trade I think..Harris will do a job.

[Satan_Polaroid]

Good move for the Bears.

[olig23]

Haven't been around much recently so a belated comment on this trade.

I'm torn.

I'm pleased to see Chris Harris back, he is a decent SS and fixes a problem position.

On the other hand I thought Jamar Williams showed flashes of outstanding play and great athleticism in the time he had on the field (most obviously against St Louis last year). I would not be shocked to see him go and have a good career in Carolina which would be a sad loss and potentially another win for Carolina depending on how Harris does.

Nevertheless, I don't disagree with the trade. We have Briggs, Urlacher and Roach whom I think are a good starting trio. we still have HH who is a great backup too so we have plenty of depth. I would have preferred to move Tinoisamoa but I doubt he carries any value at this point, I just hope they do not start him ahead of Roach.