HEADLINES

Eric Weems

Eric Weems Takes Pay Cut

April 11th, 2014 at 5:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Last month, Bears wide receiver Eric Weems declined the Bears’ request to take a pay cut and was expected to be released soon after. A few weeks later, it seems as though Weems has had a change of heart. The 28-year-old has agreed to restructure his deal, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Chicago’s WSCR-670 AM first reported the pay cut.

According to NFLPA records, the special teamer agreed to reduce his base salary from $1MM to the minimum for a veteran with six years of experience – $730K. Meanwhile, Weems will keep his $100K workout bonus in the contract, so he can earn up to $830K this season and will have a cap number of $1.33MM, down from the $1.6MM he was originally scheduled to count against the cap.

Weems was on the field for only 24 offensive snaps in 2013 and but was third on the roster with 309 snaps on special teams. However, with Devin Hester out of the picture, it is possible he could be considered as a potential kickoff returner.

Bears Expected To Cut Eric Weems

March 20th, 2014 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, we heard that the Bears had asked wide receiver and special teamer Eric Weems to accept a pay cut. Today, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports (via Twitter) that Weems has declined that request, and will likely be released as a result.

Weems, 28, had a very limited role on offense or as a returner last season, appearing in just 24 offensive snaps and returning five kicks. His primary contributions came in kick and punt coverage, where he logged eight special teams tackles.

Heading into the final year of his contract, Weems is on the books for a $1.6MM cap number. Cutting him will leave the Bears with $500K in dead money on the cap, but will clear Weems’ $1MM base salary and a $100K workout bonus from the team’s books.

The Bears also released wide receiver Earl Bennett earlier this week when he declined a pay cut.

NFC North Notes: Suh, Weems, Contracts

March 18th, 2014 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

At an appearance at the MGM Grand in Detroit, Lions president Tom Lewand suggested the team isn’t bothered by the fact that there’s no contract extension in place with defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh yet, as Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. While a new deal for Suh would open up some cap room for the Lions in 2014, the club never viewed an extension as an essential part of its free agency plans.

Let’s round up a few other items from around the NFC North….

  • The Bears have asked wide receiver and return man Eric Weems to take a pay cut, and will likely release him if he decides not to accept the cut, reports Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago. The team could create $1.1MM in cap savings by releasing Weems.
  • B.J. Raji‘s one-year contract with the Packers includes a $500K signing bonus, a non-guaranteed $3.1MM base salary, $300K in per-game roster bonuses, and a $100K workout bonus, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune details the specifics of Charles Tillman‘s one-year contract with the Bears. It includes a $2.25MM base salary, a $500K signing bonus, $100K in workout bonuses, and $400K in per-game roster bonuses. The total guarantee is $750K.
  • The Lions‘ one-year deal for Vaughn Martin is a minimum salary benefit contract, including a $65K bonus, tweets Michael Rothstein. So Martin will earn $795K, while the cap hit for the team will be $635K.
  • Via Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press notes (via Twitter) that Jerome Simpson‘s new deal with the Vikings is worth $1MM — a $900K base salary, plus $50K in workout bonuses and another $50K in roster bonuses.
  • Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star Tribune examines some possible reasons why the Vikings haven’t addressed the linebacker position in free agency yet.