Apologies if I’ve been absent in recent days.  Going into rehearsals on a new musical Tuesday and making the final push to get the show ready.  Will be back in full form next week. 

Gaines Adams is a damn good football player.  And now he’s a Chicago Bear.  Making an all-too-rare in-season trade and giving fans no reason to turn on their televisions next April, Jerry Angelo has added a young, fast pass rusher to an already deep defensive line.  It’s a nice a move designed to grab headlines but mark my words: this will be a trade that makes fans very, very happy.

Vaugh McClure does some nice analysis:

“Gaines absolutely sees this as a great opportunity,” Adams’ agent, Fletcher Smith, said. “I know he’s looking forward to the opportunity to work with Rod Marinelli, who was able to mold guys such as Simeon Rice and Warren Sapp.”

Smith said Adams’ playing status for Sunday’s game is up in the air because he has to pass his physical. Adams is scheduled to fly to Chicago on Saturday morning and hopes to make the trip to Atlanta with the team.

The knock on Adams, according to some familiar with the Bucs, is he doesn’t play physically and doesn’t display any counter moves.

The acquisition of Adams might mean the Bears won’t re-sign veteran Adewale Ogunleye, whose contract expires after the season. Ogunleye, 32, leads the Bears with 4 1/2 sacks from his left end position. His asking price might be too much for the Bears, and another team might be willing to give him a lucrative contract.

Getting Gaines also puts Mark Anderson on notice. Anderson, 26, is in a contract year and has not been as productive as the Bears had hoped following an outstanding training camp.

This move protects the position should Ogunleye leave town for a big payday come the end of the season.  More than that, it shows Jerry and the organization have their sights set not just on winning today but building a consistent, winning team.  Not gonna lie.  It’s going to take some getting used to.