Biggs: Bears protected if Harris can't play

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. — The Bears don’t have anyone on their roster to replace Tommie Harris if his knee problems persist this season or he aggravates other injuries like his current hamstring pull because of his balky knee.

But Chicago has done what it can to protect itself. While the organization readily acknowledged wide receiver and safety were major needs entering the draft, and where they were short-handed after trading for quarterback Jay Cutler, the team used its first pick (68th overall) on another defensive tackle, Jarron Gilbert of San Jose State. Some see him as an ideal fit at left end because he’s 6-5 and 285 pounds, but general manager Jerry Angelo first wants to look at him inside, and Harris’ durability is a primary reason why. The hope is Gilbert will quickly emerge as a part of the rotation, but no one expects him to be the dominating under tackle that Harris is when he’s right.

APTommie Harris

The Bears, who knew of Harris’ knee condition following arthroscopic surgery in January 2008, also protected themselves, as much as a team can any way, in the $40-million, four-year extension they wrote for Harris last summer. The deal included $10 million guaranteed, but what is remaining on the contract, which runs through 2012, is basically a series of roster bonuses, none of which is guaranteed. In essence, it becomes a string of one-year contracts.

Harris has roster bonuses for $2.5 million due in 2009 and 2010. In both years, the bonus is earned on June 1. That means if Angelo wants to look for a replacement, he can do so in free agency and the draft before making a determination on Harris’ status.

Harris’ 2012 roster bonus is a de-escalator, which has a maximum value of $8 million and a minimum value of $2 million. It dropped to $6.5 million after last season, and Harris has to participate in 74 percent of the team’s defensive snaps and reach the Pro Bowl each season for it not to fall $1.5 million each year. Even if Harris is dominant and is named an all-star again, hitting the play-time trigger might be difficult. He’s reached 74 percent just once in his career and participated in 56 percent of the snaps in 2008. Harris missed two games, but factoring in the average number of snaps he got per game, he would have been on the field for only 64 percent of the snaps had he appeared in all 16 games.

Right now, the Bears would do back flips to see Harris on the field at full strength for 64 percent of the snaps.

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