MVN - Most Valuable Network

Game over: Bears release Adam Archuleta

Adam Archuleta had one exceptional season, 2002, when he made 116 tackles, 2.5 sacks, four passes defended and one interception. His other six seasons have been fair [56 tackles in ‘01] to good [88 tackles in ‘04], but teams remember him for that one great year.

Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, being Daniel Snyder, signed Archuleta to the richest contract ever offered to a safety in 2006. Archuleta lost the starting safety role before the season started. He played only because Pierson Prioleau, the man who beat him out, suffered a freak knee injury on the opening kick-off of the season. Archuleta was benched again by mid-season.

Chicago Bears’ head coach Lovie Smith, Archuleta’s defensive coordinator at the Rams, gave him another shot with the Bears last year. He struggled in Chicago, too, and was benched after 11 games.

Chicago released Archuleta Tuesday. The statement on chicagobears.com read

“Archuleta failed to revert to the form he displayed in St. Louis when Bears coach Lovie Smith and defensive coordinator Bob Babich were Rams assistants.”

And that is the mystery. Archuleta is only 30. He hasn’t suffered a crippling injury. Yet, he hasn’t transferred his Rams success anywhere else he’s played.

When the Rams were the Greatest Show on Turf in 2001-02, opposing teams tried to contain that fabulous offense by keeping them off the field. That called for controlling the ball and the clock with the running game. I suspect Archuleta simply was not challenged, and exposed, as much then as he would be later.

Perhaps the third time is the charm and Arch will find success with the third team he joins since leaving St. Louis — if he gets the chance. It’s a good thing he got Daniel Snyder’s money when he did.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 at 12:30 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.