Chicago Bears: What John Tait's Retirement Says About This Team

If the Lovie Smith era has taught me anything at all about the Bears it's this: they always know something we don't.

Over the last decade or so, this has merely been a fact of life that we have all carried on with.  But every once in a while, they forget to close the blinds, and the fans can get a small peek at what's going on.

At 34-years-old, John Tait is no superstar, but he's slated to make $4.8 million just for coming back one more year. Tait is a veteran player that could have a substantial influence on any tackle that the Bears draft this year. With such an important position in the depth chart, there are only two ways that he would want to call it quits.

1) Tait is truly worn out and has nothing left in the tank. I find this extremely unlikely due to the fact that these are some of the most competitive men on the earth. These players also love money like anyone else.

2) He is somewhat worn out and truly believes that the Chicago Bears have no real shot at winning the Super Bowl in the near future, not even coming back if it meant $4.8 million.

Halas Hall loves telling us that this is the championship team and everything is going to work out. They simply ask that we trust them, and have faith in them.

I find his surprising retirement just another clarification of what no one want's to say out loud: The Chicago Bears are rebuilding.

They're not rebuilding like Atlanta or Miami—with excellent front office work and player development.

No, they're rebuilding like, well, the Chicago Bears.

The 2006 Super Bowl was 21 years of rebuilding after 1985, and God help us all, I hope it doesn't take another 21.

Tait is leaving because at this moment, today, this team has nothing to offer.