Chris Harris restructures to two-year $3.5 million deal

The Chicago Bears have agreed to a two-year, $3.5 maximum value restructured deal with newly-acquired safety Chris Harris, according to a league source.

Harris' three-year pact was reduced by a year. Harris was traded by the Carolina Panthers for Bears linebacker Jamar Williams.

Harris also received a $300,000 signing bonus and a $100,000 workout bonus, per our source.

The deal includes a $500,000 roster bonus due March 5, 2011.

If the bonus isn't paid, then Harris will become a free agent again.

Per our source, he'll make $2 million over the next 12 months. The deal essentially acts as a one-year arrangement initially, but will likely wind up being a longer-term situation for Harris in his second stint in Chicago.

The plan is to ultimately work out a contract extension with the Bears within the next year.

We're told that several teams were interested in acquiring Harris at his old Panthers deal, which had three years left on a five-year, $13.3 million extension inked in Feburary of 2008.

Harris has forced a dozen fumbles over the past three seasons.

The 6-foot, 206-pound former Louisiana-Monroe sixth-round pick for the Bears intercepted three passes with two forced fumbles last season in Carolina.

For his career, Harris has recorded 338 tackles and 10 interceptions.

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