The Chicago Bears have signed veteran offensive lineman Andre Gurode in response to multiple injuries suffered against the Minnesota Vikings. Gurode was a five-time Pro Bowl selection as a Center for the Dallas Cowboys, and spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens.
With Lance Louis out for the season with a torn ACL, and Chris Spencer's status unknown for next week with a knee injury, Gurode was added following multiple tryouts at Halas Hall today.
To make room for Gurode, the team placed DT Amobi Akoye on waivers. Okoye was the youngest player ever drafted into the NFL at age 19, and spent time in Houston, Chicago, and Tampa Bay. Okoye's second stint with Chicago was this season, after being signed to a one year contract, but was never able to see any playing time due to the production of the starting rotation for the Bears.
The team also made some practice team moves, signing WR Dale Moss, and releasing Raymond Radway and recently-signed Chris Riley.
The Bears also worked out linebacker Aaron Curry.
With Louis being placed on IR and Okoye being waived, the team still has one spot remaining on the 53-man squad.
Intel from the SBN network:
I asked our Baltimore Ravens blogger about Gurode, and this was his insight:
"Gurode only played one season (last year) for the Ravens. The Cowboys blogger will tell you he was a Pro Bowl center for the Cowboys but he only played there one or two games in place of Matt Birk, and while he was okay, he certainly didn't look like a Pro Bowl center. He mostly played LG for Baltimore and was pretty bad, IMO. Not even okay. Just pretty bad."
And from our Cowboys blogger:
"It's been a while since Gurode played for us so I'm not sure how he's been lately. With the Cowboys, he was a physical player who was pretty good when locked up with a defender. He wasn't the most intuitive player, one of our guards made most of the line protection calls, and once or twice a game his shotgun snaps could be an adventure."
Stay tuned...