Jackson, Willis come to terms with Bears // McMichael remains only headache

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. The battle of wills ended Tuesday forcornerback Vestee Jackson and quarterback Peter Tom Willis when bothagreed to contracts with the Bears.

The last unsigned Bears, Jackson and Willis are expected in camptoday. Jackson reports with a two-year contract worth approximately$775,000, Willis with a three-year contract that reportedly will payhim $830,000 in base salary.

Jackson and the Bears have been close to a deal for about aweek. Jackson's agent Frank Bauer had been in constant communicationwith the team.

"It was a matter of structuring between salary and bonuses,"Bears negotiator Ted Phillips said. "We both compromised today."

The Bears were willing to compromise with Jackson afterexamining their depth chart. Without Jackson, who has been a starterfor 3 1/2 years, the Bears were left with Lemuel Stinson starting andMaurice Douglass as the only reserve with experience.

"We obviously need him," Phillips said of Jackson. "It's ourweakest position on the team in depth."

Two factors complicated the negotiation. Jackson's playslipped in the second half of last season. After being demoted fromthe starting lineup for a game in October, Jackson walked out of campfor the better part of a week.

The other problem was the value of cornerbacks is changing thisseason. Phillips said there have been more holdout cornerbacks thisyear than ever before, so it makes it difficult to determine worth.

The difference with Willis was over incentives. Willis wantedbonus clauses to protect him in the event he becomes a starter. Hereceived some incentive provisions, but the clauses weren't worthanywhere near what he was seeking.

Phillips said the Bears gave in on some of the incentives andWillis' agent Ralph Cindrich gave in on some of the base salary.

"There comes a point where you've waited long enough," Phillipssaid. "Cindrich realized the Bears weren't going to budge anymore.He needed to get in camp if he was going to contribute this year, andI think the kid wanted to come in."

The effects of Willis' holdout probably will stunt hisdevelopment all season. Cornerback Donnell Woolford and defensiveend Trace Armstrong struggled as rookies last year after protractedholdouts.

But the quarterback has a couple of things working in his favor.

"He's fortunate because he picked up mostly everything inminicamp and the two-week rookie camp," Bears coach Mike Ditka said. "But not being around the last week-and-a-half has got to hurt."

Although Willis probably won't get much playing time as arookie, the Bears plan for him to accumulate neither rust nor dust.

Offensive coordinator Greg Landry said Willis will get morepractice time than Jim Harbaugh did as a rookie. The majority ofHarbaugh's first year practices were spent playing scout teamquarterback.

"I don't believe in having two guys work and the other doingnothing," Landry said.

The signings reduce Phillips' headaches to the Steve McMichaelaffair. McMichael, signed to a contract, wants to renegotiate.

The Bears made a renegotiation offer, then pulled it off thetable. McMichael since has said he would accept what the Bears wereoffering, which amounted to a $175,000 increase.

"They rolled the dice and I think they've lost," Phillips said on Coppock on Sports.

Phillips also said McMichael's agent Larry Bales hasn't handlednegotiations professionally, and wondered whether or not McMichaelcould come back if he sits out this year.

"How many players have held out in their 11th years and comeback and played?" Phillips said.