With defensive lineman Sedrick Ellis abruptly deciding to retire, the Bears potentially were out the $285,000 signing bonus they paid to him as part of a one-year, $1 million deal.
According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, Ellis has returned the money.
Ellis also was due to earn a base salary of $715,000, $215,000 of which was guaranteed. He’ll now receive nothing, and the Bears will receive a salary-cap credit for the salary in 2013 -- and a cap credit for the signing bonus in 2014.
The former top-10 pick of the Saints could have chosen to show up and tank it and get cut, and he would have kept the money. Some would have been tempted to do just that.
