Chicago Bears Should Sign Lofa Tatupu After His Release

ESPN is reporting that Seattle linebacker Lofa Tatupu has asked to be released by the Seahawks and that they have agreed to do so. The Seahawks approached Tatupu yesterday and asked him to take a pay cut to help the team after recent signings.

Apparently, based on his request to be released, Tatupu did not agree that would be a good idea.

The Bears resigned Nick Roach earlier this offseason as the starting linebacker beside Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. However, rumor has it that they only wanted to bring him back as a reserve, but brought him as a starter due to the lack of free agent replacements at linebacker.

That is why Tatupu's release is a positive for Chicago.

Now that Tatupu is hitting the market, Chicago should sign him to give the Bears' linebacking corps a three-headed monster in 2011. At 28 years old, he would also be someone the Bears could have in place should Urlacher decide to retire within the next couple seasons.

Tatupu would not only benefit the Bears as a starter, but his signing would also move Roach to a reserve role, which would be very important given the past injury concerns of the Bears' linebackers.

Simply put, Tatupu is a guy who, along with Chicago's recent signings, could help add needed youth to an aging Chicago D. The Bears need to continue their recent streak of signing quality players who have been cap casualties (Roy Williams, Vernon Gholston, Marion Barber and Amobi Okoye) and sign this quality linebacker.