Bears Extend QB Kyle Orton With 1 Year Deal

After signing quarterback Rex Grossman to a 1-year deal on Saturday, the Chicago Bears today signed quarterback Kyle Orton to a 1-year contract extension that will potentially keep him with the team through the 2009 season. All details of the contract have not yet been released/leaked, but Orton will reportedly receive a $1.6 million signing bonus, and will be able to make up to $5 million in incentives over the next two seasons. According to the Bears' brass, Orton and Grossman will actually engage in an open quarterback competition for the first time this coming training camp to determine who will hopefully be the team's quarterback of the future.

As a 4th round draft choice of out Purdue in the 2005 NFL Draft, Orton ended up starting 15 games as a rookie due to injuries, and helped lead the Bears to the playoffs. He then sat on the bench for most of the next two years, mainly playing when injuries and innefectiveness of the team's other underachieving quarterbacks presented Orton the opportunity. For his NFL career, Orton has started 18 games and thrown for 2347 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions, good for a career passer rating of 62.2.