Tommie Harris Just Made Some Money

It didn't really make a lot of noise in Chicago yesterday, but that doesn't mean that it won't be felt here.

Yesterday the Lions locked up defensive tackle Cory Redding to a seven year $49 million deal.

Redding was designated as the team's franchise player, which means today was the last day he could have signed a long-term contract extension to remain in Detroit. After today, unsigned franchise players (including New England's Asante Samuel and Chicago's Lance Briggs) can only sign the one-year tender offer they've been given.

The deal includes $16 million guaranteed, and makes Redding the highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL.

This news is sure to cause a stir here in Chicago in a couple of ways.

First, it probably pisses Lance Briggs off quite a bit that Redding could get this kind of deal and he couldn't. Especially when you consider Briggs is a better football player. Still, Lance will only be in Chicago for another season.

But this affects the Bears in the future. Tommie Harris is in line for a contract extension soon, and if Redding can get $49 million, what's Tommie Harris worth?

Last season Redding finished the season with 48 tackles and 8 sacks in 16 games. Tommie Harris finished with 28 tackles and 5 sacks in only 12 games thanks to injuries.

The Bears run defense also seemed to crumble after Harris left with the hamstring injury. The memory of Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes tearing the Bears apart in the Super Bowl is still a fresh wound for the Bears and their fans.

Add in the fact that Tank Johnson, Alfonso Boone, and Ian Scott are all gone and Tommie's value to the Bears absolutely skyrockets.

If he can recover from the hamstring injury, and get back to playing like he did last year for a full season, and I think it's safe to say Cory Redding won't be the highest paid DT in the NFL for long.