Apparently, the Bears' depth at quarterback is so good that there is no room for the co-MVP of NFL Europe. J.T. O'Sullivan's contract was terminated, a move the club has yet to announce, reducing to four the number of quarterbacks on the roster. When the offseason program ended last month, it was unclear whether undrafted free agent Chris Leak would make it to training camp, which opens in less than three weeks. Now it appears he will receive that opportunity.
The Bears could have brought O'Sullivan to camp, and he would not have counted against the roster limit because of the exemption status given to players who play in Europe -- an incentive the NFL created for teams to send players to the now-defunct outfit. But the Bears made an agreement with O'Sullivan when he signed last January that if he didn't receive a legitimate chance to compete, they would release him before camp.
''The last two summers he's gone to camps without any chance of making it,'' said Steve Baker, O'Sullivan's agent. ''He's proven, by what he did earlier this summer, that he is an NFL player. The Bears feel they're set with the three spots, and absent an injury, J.T. wouldn't get a real opportunity. Basically, they did right by him.''
O'Sullivan led the Frankfurt Galaxy (7-3) to a spot in the World Bowl. He led the league with a 104.8 passer rating and threw for 2,201 yards and 16 touchdowns.
It was O'Sullivan's second stint with the Bears and also his second trip to Europe, something that tempered the Bears' enthusiasm in his performance overseas. The Bears took four quarterbacks to camp last summer, but B.J. Symons did nothing but hold a clipboard, and there is concern that behind Rex Grossman, Brian Griese and Kyle Orton, the situation will repeat itself.
NFL: Bears take a pass on QB O'Sullivan :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Bears
07-07-2007, 04:34 PM
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