Posted at 3:48 p.m., Tuesday, July 31, 2007
NFL: Bears, DT Walker agree on 5-year contract
Advertiser Staff
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. — The Chicago Bears and defensive tackle Darwin Walker agreed to a five-year, $25 million contract today, two days after the team acquired him in a trade with Buffalo.Walker will earn about $2 million this season, plus $8 million to $9 million in bonuses and possibly another $3.5 million in incentives over the length of the contract, according to his agent Albert Irby.
"When Darwin got there, he liked it," Irby said. "They liked him. So everyone was anxious to get something done."
Buffalo had obtained Walker from Philadelphia in March for linebacker Takeo Spikes and backup quarterback Kelly Holcomb.
Walker, however, refused to report to the Bills until the team renegotiated the remaining two years on his contract. He was scheduled to make $1.3 million this year and $1.4 million next season.
Irby said his client would have taken a one-year deal with the Bears. Instead, he's signed through 2011.
By acquiring Walker, the defending NFC champions filled a big hole that opened when the team released Tank Johnson following a series of run-ins with the law. They acquired a player with 26 1/2 sacks over the past five years, making him the fourth-most productive defensive tackle during that span.
Walker was interested in joining the Bears when the Eagles allowed him to seek a trade last spring. But Chicago had no room because Johnson was still on the team.
"There was instant love between Darwin and the Bears," Irby said. "Darwin said, 'Look, just get the deal done.' Now, he's excited about being a Bear. The Bears are young and tough and they're going to be a competitive team for a long time."
