Agent Says Kevin Jones Will Sign With Bears or Steelers Today

After Cedric Benson drank his way off the Bears, Lovie Smith maintained that the team wasn't looking to bring in any running backs to complement Matt Forte, (the other) Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe. That seemed like an odd approach since there were a handful of veterans who could potentially help them on the ground in 2008. It also sounds like an approach they've abandoned.

Kevin Jones, formerly of the Lions, is close to signing with a team and, according to his agent, the Bears are one of two still in the running.

Jones will sign with either Pittsburgh or Chicago on Tuesday, according to agent Tony Fleming, who said that late Monday evening.

The Bears make more sense from Jones's point of view. Forte may be great but he's still a rookie while the other two are better suited to depth roles. That leaves a lot of room for Jones, if he's healthy, to win the job. The Steelers, on the other hand, have Willie Parker installed as the starter and they picked Rashard Mendenhall in the first round this year.

Jones would be a gamble for the Bears because he rarely stays healthy. Why shouldn't they role the dice, though? Jones has flashed talent in the past, especially catching passes out of the backfield, and the Bears are short on dynamic offensive weapons. If he doesn't work out, you've still got all the guys you were supposedly comfortable with so why not take the shot?

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