Posted by Ryan WilsonFor as much as the NFL Draft and free agency are about emerging young talents, either entering the league or getting that big second contract, it's also about veteran players coming to grips with the reality of a sport notorious for short, injury-filled careers.
It wasn't long ago that Tommie Harris was one of those emerging young talents. An undersized defensive tackle from Oklahoma who relied on his quickness to get into the backfield and disrupt an offense's rhythm, Harris was selected by the Bears with the 14th overall pick in the 2004 draft.
A three-time Pro Bowler and runner-up in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, injuries slowed Harris in recent years and the Bears released him in February 2011.
On Tuesday, Harris agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Colts, where he will play in a defense similar to the one the Bears ran during his time there. Harris also visited the Patriots, who eventually landed Albert Haynesworth for the NFL roster equivalent of a bag of doughnuts. (The going rate for a dozen Krispy Kremes? A fifth-rounder.)
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