Cornerback Ricky Manning, Jr. was not picked up by his former team, the Carolina Panthers, and is able to sign with the Chicago Bears, who offered him a five-year deal worth up to $21 million. Manning was recently arrested for an alleged assault at a Los Angeles restaurant.
Because of the relatively modest compensation involved, Manning was an attractive target for a Bears team seeking to upgrade at cornerback. Veteran cornerback Jerry Azumah recently retired after battling injuries for two seasons. That left Chicago without an experienced No. 3 cornerback. The team’s starters are Nathan Vasher, who is coming off a Pro Bowl season, and Charles Tillman, considered a rising star until a difficult 2005 campaign.
He will bank about $7.5 million over the next 12 months on a creative deal negotiated by agents Jim Ivler, Bill Heck and Brian Mackler. The deal includes so-called “de-escalators” that could reduce its overall value if Manning is not a starter in the latter years of the contract.
Manning was a large part of the Panthers’ Super Bowl run in 2003 and would be a good fit in Chicago playing with Tillman and Vasher, two young solid corners. If I were a Bears fan, I would be a little concerned however that the team just signed a player with apparent character issues but if everything gets resolved and Manning is acquitted of the charges, I say pretty good move. The initial value of his contract in the first year seems a little steep for a nickel back but the de-escalator clause could help the Bears if things don’t work out down the road with Manning.
