7 Chicago Bears Who Deserve Long-Term Extensions

I normally side with the team's stance when it comes to contracts, especially for players in the NFL who are often just one hit away from being out of the game forever. I also have no use for players who sign a contract in good faith then demand a new deal when they think they are underpaid.

However, in the case of the players listed in this slideshow, they are either important cogs to the Bears or they are guys who have outperformed their current deals. Lance Briggs recently got his extension, even though the team didn't have to do it, so new GM Phil Emery proved he is willing to step up for the players.

On the other hand, Matt Forte remains without a long-term extension. However, in his case, the Bears are offering a deal. It's just that the two sides can't seem to come to an agreement on his worth. Meanwhile, they have Forte on a franchise tag for 2012.

None of the current Bears players are in any danger of not playing this year due to contract issues, so this slideshow was tough to do. But I took a look at players that the Bears would be smart to extend and offered some input on why I feel that way.

So here are some players that could get contract deals and it wouldn't surprise nor anger me in any way. Do you agree or feel I've missed anyone? That's what the comment section is for.

Matt Forte

Don't hold any tag days for Matt Forte, who will make $7.7 million this year under the franchise tag agreement collectively bargained for by the NFL and its players. Still, it would be nice to come to a long-term agreement just so that this issue doesn't become a distraction for the team this year.

That said, Forte doesn't really have a ton of leverage. Sure, he's been a huge part of the Bears offense.  But with Brandon Marshall in town and an offensive coordinator who values throwing the ball to the tight end, hopefully Forte won't be needed quite as much in 2012.

Plus, with the signing of Michael Bush, the Bears have a competent backup in place at running back. Since he is not a free agent, Forte shouldn't expect top dollar, but if he and his agent are reasonable, they should come to an agreement where Forte gets about $17 million guaranteed and everyone is happy.  

Jay Cutler

I know it's a little early, but if Cutler has as good a season as I believe he is capable of having, the Bears would be better served signing him now to avoid having to pay him even bigger bucks down the road.

He is still young enough to have at least one more long-term contract to sign, and since he's the best Bears QB in a long time, if not ever, he might as well sign that contract with the Bears.

We all saw how critical Cutler is to the team when he got injured last season. Cutler was signed by Denver and then extended for two more seasons by the Bears in October of 2009. So he is signed through 2013.

But if he is healthy and productive this year, they should jump on the chance to extend him through 2015.

Lance Briggs

At the time this article was assigned to me, Briggs was seeking a re-do of his contract. And lo and behold, the Bears surprised me by adding another year to his current deal in an effort to appease the weak-side linebacker.

Briggs may miss a lot of tackles, statistically, but he's been a solid Pro Bowl caliber player for Chicago, and the extension was justified.

Briggs had signed a six-year contract with Chicago in March of 2008, so he was already signed through 2013. But the new extension adds one more year.

Let me be clear, though: I have no use for players who sign a long-term deal then want out of it. Do they come to management after a poor season and offer to give money back? Of course not, so I felt about Briggs the way I feel about any other such athlete: tough.

That said, I'm glad he will be happy and hopefully playing well for the Bears this season.

Robbie Gould

I don't normally think about kickers when evaluating the most important parts of a football team, but in this case I will make an exception.

In case you either didn't know or didn't remember, Gould entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent by New England, who waived him just four months after signing him. He was then signed to the Ravens practice squad but was let go by Baltimore just weeks later.

He joined the Bears in October of 2005 and has been Mr. Reliable ever since. He signed a five-year extension in May of 2008, so he is signed through 2013. But if anyone deserves to be extended, it is Gould.

Sure, he isn't going anywhere, so there is no urgency to extending him at this time. But in terms of players who are worthy of a contract, Gould is up there for his contributions to the team.

I'm not suggesting the Bears run out and add more years to his deal, but when the time comes, and assuming he stays healthy, he is someone who should have a few more years left in the tank after 2013, so go ahead and sign him through 2015.

Kellen Davis

The Bears tight end is only signed through this season, so if he gets chances to show what he can do in the Mike Tice offense, after being semi-banned from the Mike Martz offense previously, and he does well, he will be a candidate for a long-term extension.

Davis is just 26 and has the size you want from a tight end. I still have questions about his worth as a receiving tight end, but if he does the job, he should be signed long-term.

Henry Melton

Melton agreed to a 4-year contract with the Bears in May of 2009, and he signed through the end of this season. I know we have Stephen Paea, and I like his potential, but Melton had the second most sacks of all NFL tackles last season.

As we have seen with Warren Sapp in Tampa, and in the early years when Tommie Harris was good, the three technique is clearly critical in the cover-2 base defensive scheme. Signing Melton to a long-term contract would help seal up an important position for years to come.

Craig Steltz

I know that Steltz may never be a starter for the Bears, but if his short stint late last season was any indication, he is better than we thought. And anyway, he will provide valuable depth for the team if they lock him up long-term.

Steltz plays the kind of stay-at-home safety that Lovie Smith likes and the cover-2 demands. He is not a great athlete or a freelancer, but we saw what that gets you when watching Brandon Meriweather last season.

I like what Chris Conte brings to the table at free safety, but I question if Major Wright is the answer at strong safety. I'm thinking that Steltz might start at SS before the end of the season, and by then he will once again be a free agent with other teams possibly interested. So sign him now or mid-way through the season if he's playing well.