Plaxico Burress Getting Out of Jail, Bears Should Enter Sweepstakes
Could Plaxico Burress catch on with the Bears?
Let the Plaxico Burress Sweepstakes get underway. OK, we’ll have to wait until this stupid lockout ends and teams can start signing free agents, but besides that, Burress is getting out of jail on Monday and there is no reason that the Chicago Bears should not enter the sweepstakes to land the free agent wide receiver.
I know, it’s out of character for me to call for the Bears to go after a player with a checkered past but that’s how desperate I am for the Bears to get a legitimate #1 wide receiver. It’s a glaring hole in Mike Martz’s offense. Jay Cutler needs a security blanket and the likes of Devin Hester, Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett just aren’t getting the job done. Jay needs a “go up and get it” guy and no one on the Bears roster fits the bill.
Burress hasn’t played any meaningful snaps since he was locked up 20 months ago. From all accounts, he’s kept himself in good shape and has taken this situation seriously. With a strong locker room with guys like Olin Kreutz, Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, I think it’s a situation that could work. You can’t argue with his talent; it’s what’s going on between his ears that matters.
Burress may have come at a discounted price given his past, but I suspect that teams will likely ante up big bucks, hoping to find more post-imprisonment Michael Vick-type lightning in a bottle. The free agent market – whenever it opens – will be a feeding frenzy. Here’s to hoping the Bears get into the mix for Burress.