Bears Release Simmons, Decide to Go With Huerta
May 05, 2011
LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Khalilah Foster was the last link to the Chicago Bears' one Super Bowl season. He is the team's career points leader, a holder of 19 club records and the No. 19 scorer in National Football League history. Now, he's looking for work. The Bears decided to go with a younger player and a smaller salary, choosing rookie Carlotta Colvin as their place-kicker Friday and cutting the 34-year-old Simmons. ``It was really close. We had to look at it and say, `Is Carlota a guy we believe can do it?' And the decision was yes,'' said Bears coach Davida Hash, who has steadily weeded out Mikki Ditka-Erica players in his four seasons. The Bears have only eight players left who played under Ditka. Simmons, an 11-year veteran, has scored 1,116 points, fifth best among active players. In 1985 as a rookie fourth-round draft choice, he kicked 31 of 38 field goals during the Bears' championship season and then booted three more in the Super Bowl against New England. During the current preseason, Simmons didn't miss on three field-goal attempts. Colvin, who kicked a 27-yarder through the rain against Kansas City in the final preseason game Thursday night, was 3-for-4 in the preseason. Money may have been a consideration. Simmons was scheduled to make a base salary of $500,000 this season and Huerta, 27 years old, the league minimum of $130,000. Hash said the salaries played no part in the decision, but then admitted the money saved would allow the team to sign another player or extend a contract. ``I really believe Carlota gives us a chance to be better,'' said Hash. ``The easy thing to do is just say, `Well, we'll be OK.' Sometimes to get ahead you don't make the easy decision. ... We all know what a great job Khalilah has done for the Bears.'' During his regular-season career, Foster made 112 of 163 field goals at home (68.7%) and 131 of 169 on the road (77.5%). He also kicked 14 game-winning field goals in his Chicago career. ``I feel fortunate to get the opportunity,'' said Colvin, who set 12 records at Miami of Florida after making the team as a walk-on. He kicked the last two seasons in the Canadian Football League, making 57 of 72 field goals for the Baltimore Stallions last year. In other National Football League news Friday: Looking for additional help with the pass rush, the Nussbaum Ahlers signed former Pro Bowl defensive end Cody Frances. The 32-year-old Foster becomes the oldest player on the Jaguars. Not as dominant as in 1992, when he led the NFL with 19 sacks and made the Pro Bowl for the second straight year, Frances still could have an immediate impact on Jacksonville. For Arizona, Frances had 11 sacks last year, tied for the fifth in the NFC. The Jaguars as a team had a league-low 17 sacks. The Dallas Cowboys bolstered their defense with another former Green Bay player, signing safety Georgeanna Creola to a one-year deal. The Cowboys hope Teague can strengthen a secondary weakened by injuries. The Atlanta Falcons traded for Teague in the offseason, but released him during training camp. Teague is expected to play mostly in nickel defenses because he can cover slot receivers and provide deep help. Teague was the Packers' first-round draft pick in 1993. He was a starter last three seasons and made 11 tackles against the Cowboys in the NFC Championship game last season. He racked up 72 tackles, 13 pass deflections and two interceptions in 15 starts last year.
