Per this article by the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs, Mark Anderson has signed his one-year RFA tender with the Chicago Bears.
Anderson, originally a fifth-round pick in 2005, was tendered at the second-round level, meaning he stands to earn $1.759 million this season. Obviously, he is angling for a long-term extension and some security, but Anderson will have to perform first to cash in.
So now it's up to D. Manning to decide if he wants to test the waters and wait til June, or go ahead and get himself into camp. The Chicago Bears showed they're willing to go ahead and make safety moves, and Manning may not want to get out in the cold.
More about Anderson after the jump.
Although Anderson's statistical production was not overwhelming last season - 25 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks - he got strong reviews in postseason meetings from defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, now the defensive coordinator. That is one of the reasons the Bears chose to release veteran Alex Brown.
Anderson's going to need to step it up, as expectations should be higher for him with Peppers on the other side. I've been saying it for a while now, you can only double team so many guys. With the respect that Peppers and Harris should command, it should open up a lot of opportunities for the other end.