Bears take a pass on QB O'Sullivan

Discussion in 'Chicago Bears' started by jeglinas, Jul 7, 2007.

  1. jeglinas

    jeglinas Rookie

    From the Chicago Sun-Times

    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.
     
  2. wide right

    wide right Grumpy Old Man

    Another example of how NFLE was never really a development league. Sure teams fake allocate players to NFLE but how many, no matter how well they performed, actually come back and contribute to an NFL roster. And don't give me the Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme, and Adam Vineterri arguement. They were the exceptions not the norm.
     
  3. nastynate184

    nastynate184 Fuck Michigan

    Damn they should have kept him and cut Chris Leak's worthless ass, just send him down along his path to AFL2
     
  4. ollysj

    ollysj iKraut

    There are a lot other players made it to a roster. But what did you expect? All players would made it? It's a hard competition for the few spots, some have success, some (prolly the most) don't.
     
  5. wide right

    wide right Grumpy Old Man

    You'd expect more than just 3 success stories if this truly was a developmental league as the NFL claimed. Sure some role players and even fringe good players have made it to the NFL but not as many as I'd like to see. What did I expect you ask? More.
     
  6. AdiBear

    AdiBear 1st Stringer

    I cant belive we let him go before training camp..at lest give him a chance to compete with Orton and Leak ffs,before you kick him in the nuts.He had a fantastic NFLE season and should be at the very lest kept on the Practice Squad IMO
     
  7. Chrisbob

    Chrisbob Fuck Dallas

    I agree a lot of teams didn't overly care for NFLE and would just send roster fodder but apart from the obvious examples, it did do a good job in developing certain positions were coaching and experience prove as valuable as natural talent. QB, to a point but one of the underrated success stories was offensive line, with quite a few guys going through Europe and then slowly working there way into starting spots and having decent careers.

    Positions like DL and LB, especially pass rushers, it wasn't so good as natural athletic ability helps so much in those roles but NFLE did it's bit. Could it have done better? Certainly. But some teams didn't take it too seriously.

    It's worth pointing out that the Patriots and rams, two teams with Super Bowl success over the NFLE era, used it well.
     
  8. Bearsfan6272

    Bearsfan6272 EVIL GENIUS

    The Chicago Bears have had a hard on for Florida Gators quarterbacks for a long time. There is no explaination for this behaivor. Matthews, Wuerfull, Grossman and Leak. Someone needs to tell GM butt Angelo that there are other schools with far better QB pedigree then this one school. [smilie=2up.gif]
     
  9. nastynate184

    nastynate184 Fuck Michigan


    yea if there is one thing flordia can not produce that is qb's
     
  10. chief31

    chief31 Chiefs monster


    How about two-time pro-bowl, offensive guard, Brian Waters? That is just, off the top of my head. I'm not sure, but Tony Richardson, also a two-time pro-bowler, as a full-back, may have played in Europe.
     
  11. PSID412USM

    PSID412USM Pro Bowler


    So ture.
     
  12. AdiBear

    AdiBear 1st Stringer

    Starters from McMahon to Grossman...

    Jim McMahon, BYU Drafted: 1982 (1) Started in: 1982-1988 Traded: 1989
    Steve Fuller, Clemson Started in: 1984-1986 Released: 1987
    Rusty Lisch, Notre Dame Signed: 1984 Started in: 1984 Released: 1985
    Greg Landry, Massachusetts Signed: 1984 Started in: 1984 Retired: 1984
    Mike Tomczak, Ohio State Signed: 1985 Started in: 1986-1990 Designated for Plan B: 1991
    Doug Flutie, Boston College Started in: 1986 Traded: 1987
    Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Drafted: 1987 (1) Started in: 1988-1993 Released: 1994
    Peter Tom Willis, Florida State Drafted: 1990 (3) Started in: 1992-1993 Released: 1994
    Will Furrer, Virginia Tech Drafted: 1992 (4) Started in: 1992 Released: 1993
    Erik Kramer, North Carolina State Signed: 1994 Started in: 1994-1998 Released: 1999
    Steve Walsh, Miami Signed: 1994 Started in: 1994 Lost to free agency: 1996
    Dave Krieg, Milton College Signed: 1996 Started in: 1996 Not re-signed: 1997
    Rick Mirer, Notre Dame Started in: 1997 Released: 1998
    Steve Stenstrom, Stanford Signed: 1995 Started In: 1998 Released: 1999
    Moses Moreno, Colorado State Drafted: 1998 (7) Started in: 1998 Released: 1999
    Shane Matthews, Florida Signed: 1993, 1996, 1999 Started in: 1999-2001 Not resigned: 2002
    Cade McNown, UCLA Drafted: 1999 (1) Started in: 1999-2000 Traded: 2001
    Jim Miller, Michigan State Signed: 1998 Started in: 1999-2002 Released: 2003
    Chris Chandler, Washington Signed: 2002 Started in: 2002-2003 Not resigned: 2004
    Henry Burris, Temple Signed: 2002 Started in: 2002 Released: 2003
    Kordell Stewart, Colorado Signed: 2003 Started in: 2003 Released: 2004
    Jonathan Quinn, Middle Tennessee State Signed: 2004 Started in: 2004 Released: 2005
    Craig Krenzel, Ohio State Drafted: 2004 (5) Started in: 2004 Released: 2005
    Chad Hutchinson, Stanford Signed: 2004 Started in: 2004 Released: 2005
    Kyle Orton, Purdue Drafted: 2005 (4) Started in: 2005
    Rex Grossman, Florida Drafted: 2003 (1) Started in: 2003-2006

    and in 2000 we only had ONE Florida starter....
     
  13. RedskinsNo.1

    RedskinsNo.1 R.I.P Sean Taylor

    But they didn't say starters just florida QBs
     
  14. AdiBear

    AdiBear 1st Stringer

    so thats Rex Grossman and Rookie QB Chris Leak...
     
  15. DaBearsrule4ever

    DaBearsrule4ever Hall Of Famer

    Really no suprised the Bears took a pass on JT O'Sullivan. He probably would have been a training camp cut or be put on the practice squad.