The 15-year veteran quarterback turned down an offer to sign with the club after he was offered a contract for the minimum salary Monday. Backup Caleb Hanie is sidelined with an AC joint sprain, leaving the Bears with only starter Jay Cutler and rookie sixth-round pick Dan Lefevour, who struggled mightily in practice Monday.

Collins’ agent Brad Blank explained that the Bears would not offer a small signing bonus or guarantee any money, and the 38-year-old Collins feared he would just to be a camp arm and be cut in a matter of weeks. NFL.com’s Jason La Canfora first reported the development Tuesday morning.

First of all, what kind of signing bonus do you need to offer a veteran backup?  About $150k from what I’ve heard.  Alligator arms McCaskey couldn’t come up with that?

Collins is at least the third quarterback to say no thanks to the Bears, as Trent Green and Damon Huard couldn’t be coaxed out of retirement.

Maybe they should hire a search firm?  This is becoming a theme around Halas Hall.  First they couldn’t find an offensive or defensive coordinator, now they can’t get a backup QB.  What the heck is going on up there?

In the meantime, enjoy Todd LeFevour in the second half of Saturday’s preseason tilt with the Raiders and pray nothing happens to Cutler in the first half.