It’s a good thing Ricky Manning Jr. is getting raise from the Bears, and that the Carolina Panthers have decided NOT to exercise their option for him. Maybe he can use a little of that extra pocket change to post his bail. As you may or may not have heard, Manning was arrested over the weekend in LA. The former UCLA cornerback was arrested early Sunday and charged with assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly knocking a man unconscious at a Westwood diner. The part that has to make the Bears cringe is that this doesn’t give them the option of backing out of the agreement.
Now, being from Panthers territory, I am a little more familiar with the personnel decisions there than with the Bears. I do know that after a series of problem players and situations, such as the likes of Kerry Collins, Fred Lane, and Rae Carruth, the Panthers management have taken a much stiffer stance on potential problems. That’s why Todd Sauerbrun was kicking in a different city last year.
And please don’t take this as a slam on Chicago, because they have some great players there who are fine upstanding citizens. In fact, I’m sure they’re probably hoping this isn’t going to develop into a pattern.