Chicago Bears release Eric Weems
By Sam Richmond
The Chicago Bears released wide receiver Eric Weems on Saturday, the team announced via its Twitter account. The release was done to make room for the newly-signed Santonio Holmes.
LM: #Bears have signed WR Santonio Holmes to 1-year deal and terminated contract of WR/RS Eric Weems.
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 16, 2014
In his two seasons on the Bears, Weems did little else than help out on special teams. He caught just three passes for 35 yards in 2012 and 2013 combined.
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Weems won’t exactly be a hot free agent, but there’s a chance he gets picked up by a team looking for another special teamer.
Holmes will be competing for the No. 3 wide receiver spot for Chicago behind Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. Holmes might be a big name, but it’s been a while since he’s been a solid contributor in the NFL.
He caught just 23 passes for 456 yards and a touchdown this past season with the New York Jets and hasn’t topped 800 receiving yards in the past five years. Still, Holmes does have a year (2009 with the Pittsburgh Steelers) in which he caught 79 passes for 1,248 yards and five touchdowns, so it makes sense for Chicago to take a flier on him to see if he can get back to resembling a semblance of the guy he used to be.
Holmes was drafted by the Steelers with the No. 25 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft.