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