Brown has looked like the same 2005 Pro Bowl player who always seems to be in the middle of the action and around the ball. He's the starting free safety less than nine months after the torn ACL that ended his 2007 season in the first game of the year.

"We've noticed him quite a bit; you've noticed him quite a bit, and that's normally how it goes with Mike out on the football field," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "He's an all-pro player; he practices that way. The same player you see on the practice field you see on game day. We need him to be successful, and I see him having the best year he's had so far."

Because the Bears can't be sure that Brown will hold up for an entire season, they brought him back this year with a restructured contract that dropped his base salary from $2.44 million to $950,000, although with incentives, it's possible he'll make up the difference. If he's bitter about the situation, Brown's doing a great job of hiding it.

"I think it's definitely fair because they're giving me an opportunity to make (the same money)," he said. "They're giving me an opportunity; I just have to be on the field, and I think that's totally fair. I don't think they're losing out on anything and I don't think I'm losing out on anything because I feel like I will be able to play."

FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.

TRANSITION PLAYER: None.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (not tendered offers)

--OG Ruben Brown (not tendered as UFA).

--DT Antonio Garay (not tendered as UFA).

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.

DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED

--RB Matt Forte (2/44): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--DT Marcus Harrison (3/90): Terms unknown.

--S Craig Steltz (4/120): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--TE Kellen Davis (5/158): $1.89M/4 yrs, $167,954 SB; 2008 cap: $337,000.

--DE Ervin Baldwin (7/208): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--OG Chester Adams (7/222): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--LB Joey LaRocque (7/243): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--OT Kirk Barton (7/247): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

--WR Marcus Monk (7/248): 4 yrs, terms unknown.

PLAYERS ACQUIRED

--WR Marty Booker: FA Dolphins; $3.5M/2 yrs, SB unknown.

--WR Brandon Lloyd: FA Redskins; $645,000/1 yr, $40,000 WO; 2008 cap: $485,000.

PLAYERS RE-SIGNED

--LB Lance Briggs: UFA; $36M/6 yrs, $4M SB/$3.75M RB; $4.75M RB '09, $3.3M RB '10.

--WR Rashied Davis: RFA; $5.86M/3 yrs, SB unknown.

--QB Rex Grossman: Potential UFA; $3M/1 yr, $1.5M guaranteed.

--S Brandon McGowan: RFA; $1.47M/1 yr.

PLAYERS LOST

--S Adam Archuleta (released).

--LB Brendon Ayanbadejo: UFA Ravens; $4.9M/4 yrs, $1.9M SB.

--RB Cedric Benson (released).

--WR Bernard Berrian: UFA Vikings; $42M/6 yrs, $$5M SB/$8M RB; $3M RB '09.

--TE John Gilmore: UFA Buccaneers; terms unknown.

--QB Brian Griese (traded Buccaneers).

--CB Ade Jimoh (released).

--DT Jimmy Kennedy: UFA Jaguars (Bears had individually negotiated right of first refusal and did not match); $655,000/1 yr, $50,000 SB.

--T Fred Miller (released/failed physical).

--WR Muhsin Muhammad (released).

--DT Darwin Walker (released).

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