Bears, Tillman agree

Charles Tillman returns to Chicago on a one-year deal. (USATSI)

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Although he's spent all 11 seasons of his NFL career in Chicago, it appeared there was a pretty good chance Tillman would leave via free agency this offseason. But on Friday, the Bears announced they had signed Tillman to a one-year deal.

According to ESPN.com's Adam Caplan, the contract is worth slightly less than $3.5 million.

Tillman is sixth on the NFL's active career list with 36 interceptions, and in 2011 and 2012, he combined to return five of those picks for touchdowns. His 42 forced fumbles since he joined the league in 2003 is the second-most during that time span.

“Charles is one of the NFL's great players and a true leader on and off the field and we're happy he will be staying in Chicago,” Bears general manager Phil Emery said in a statement. “He remains the best in our game at forcing turnovers and always has brought a tough, physical presence to our secondary. Charles also has a special connection to the people and community across Chicago and we're excited for that to continue.”

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UPDATE: Eagles acquire RB Darren Sproles for 5th-round pick



Darren Sproles didn't want to be traded; he wanted to pick his next NFL destination. Well, he didn't get that chance, and I hope he enjoys Philadelphia.The Saints traded Sproles to the Eagles on Thursday for a fifth-round pick, according to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora. Sproles turns 31 in June and is entering the final year of his contract.------------------------------------------------------------------------March 14 update: Now the Eagles have given Sproles a two-year extension, putting him under contract through the 2016 season. A league source told Pro Football Talk that Sproles' new three-year contract is worth $10.5 million with $5.5 million guaranteed. Those figures are almost identical to the free-agent contracts signed by Toby Gerhart and Donald Brown earlier this week. Of those three RBs, I think Sproles will make his contract worth it the most.



I figure Sproles is being brought to Philly to be another receiving option for Nick Foles while getting a spare carry here and there when LeSean McCoy needs a breather. McCoy touched the ball a league-high 366 times in 2013, and he's not exactly the biggest running back, physically. It makes sense for the Eagles to cut back on his workload, but this won't be a committee approach, like what Sproles was used to in New Orleans. I still expect Sproles to catch 50-60 passes, but he'll likely be a low-end flex option in standard leagues most weeks. McCoy remains a top-flight RB. And with a group of McCoy, Sproles, DeSean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin, the Eagles' offense looks more dangerous than ever. Look at how much speed and quickness is in that group. Head coach Chip Kelly is going to go crazy thinking up ways to create mismatches, and Foles is gonna benefit.Meanwhile, as I said last night, the Saints' backfield will probably remain crowded and unpredictable, week to week, even without Sproles.