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For the second straight day, the Bears locked up a valuable and versatile veteran player with a long-term contract extension.
Starting strongside linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer, a solid and dependable fourth-year pro from Vanderbilt, inked a five-year deal on Thursday that runs through the 2011 season.
"I wanted to be here," Hillenmeyer said shortly after signing the contract at Halas Hall. "They knew I wanted to be here, so it worked out hopefully in everybody's best interest."
Like running back Adrian Peterson, who on Wednesday agreed to a three-year extension through 2009, Hillenmeyer was slated to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2006 season.
Rather than testing the open market, the 6-4, 238-pounder preferred to remain part of a Bears defense that allowed the fewest points in the NFL and ranked second in total yards last season.
"I feel like I fit in the system here," Hillenmeyer said. "You invest so much time in learning the system and establishing yourself with one organization that if you're forced to switch, you're sort of taking a step back.
"A lot of guys think that they're going to go and they're going to be able to be a great player for any team and a lot of times it has to do with the way you mesh with everybody around you."
Hillenmeyer couldn't be in a better situation in terms of the players around him, with fellow linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs being named All-Pro last season.
"I'm definitely the 'other' linebacker on our team, but I'm OK with that," Hillenmeyer said. "Whenever you're next to two All-Pro guys, sometimes you'd think it would be tough to be getting compared to them every day.
"But playing around great players makes you a better player and I've definitely been the beneficiary of that just because I've gotten to learn from Brian and play next to Lance."
Hillenmeyer, 25, appeared in 13 games with 12 starts last season, ranking seventh on the Bears with 71 tackles. He registered a sack and his first career interception last Nov. 6 in a 20-17 win over the New Orleans Saints in Baton Rouge, La.
The Nashville native played in all 16 games with 11 starts in 2004, ranking fourth on the team with a career-high 90 tackles and 2½ sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Hillenmeyer was selected by the Packers in the fifth round of the 2003 draft. He was cut by Green Bay Sept. 10 and joined the Bears' practice squad three days later. He was promoted to the 53-man roster Oct. 2 and appeared in 13 games as a rookie.
Hillenmeyer is excited about remaining with a Bears team that will attempt to defend its NFC North title and win the Super Bowl.
"We're definitely headed in the right direction," he said. "The Bears are on their way up and everybody else in our division has been struggling. It's nice to know that I'll be around for the chance to make a run at this thing."
Hillenmeyer was relieved to sign Thursday, one day before he's due to depart for Greece on a vacation with his girlfriend.
"I'm just happy to get it done," he said. "I'm leaving town tomorrow, so this was kind of the end of the window of opportunity for me to get it." |
Source: chicagobears.com |
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