Losing five defensive starters in free agency normally wouldn’t be an encouraging vital sign in determining the health of an NFL team’s personnel and coaching departments.
Yet, that’s how General Manager Steve Keim views the departures of tackle Calais Campbell, safety Tony Jefferson, safety D.J. Swearinger, cornerback Marcus Cooper and inside linebacker Kevin Minter.
Bear with Keim as he explains.
“You can see we’ve obviously done a good job of identifying players,” Keim said before a fundraising dinner Wednesday night for Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation. “When guys like Marcus Cooper get five-plus million dollars (from the Bears) or D.