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Brown happy to sign with Super Bowl champs - Chicago Breaking Sports

Brown happy to sign with Super Bowl champs
April 7, 2010 7:36 PM | 1 Comment

Alex Brown celebrates after beating the Saints in the 2007 NFC title game. (Tribune file)

By Brad Biggs

When the Bears released Alex Brown last week, he left with the feeling they would be better this season.

Now, Brown's in a position where he knows the team he's joining will be in the hunt. After three years of not making the playoffs with the Bears, Brown agreed to terms on a two-year contract with the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints on Wednesday following a two-day visit. Brown had free-agent trips to other cities lined up but he likened this visit to the first time he walked into the house he has in the North suburbs that he's now going to have to sell.

"I expected to make more visits, we had more lined up," Brown said. "The house that we live in here, we walked into it and I told my wife, 'I love this house. We don't need to see anymore. This is the one I like.' Taking that approach, I went to New Orleans and I liked it. Boom! If everything else is right, that's where I wanted to go. My agent and (general manager) Mr. (Mickey) Loomis came to an agreement and here we go, we're going to try to win it again."

The contract is worth $5.5 million, or a little more than half of what the Bears were scheduled to pay him this year and in 2010. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had made a similar offer, per a source, but a chance to join the defending champions pushed New Orleans to the top.

The Saints have been looking to replace left end Charles Grant, a former first-round draft pick who was released earlier in the offseason. Brown played almost exclusively on the right side in eight seasons with the Bears but doesn't see any problem shifting over and starting on the opposite side of right end Will Smith, who had 13 sacks last season.

"I'm going to play at 255 (pounds)," Brown said. "That's it. I played 250, 255 (with the Bears). My goal is to be the starting left end. My goal is to be the best defensive end in the league, regardless of which side I am playing. I won't have to bulk up. I think I can play at 255. I think it's more attitude than anything. I learned a lot of that from Wale (Ogunleye). He's the best left end I have ever played with and he played at, soaking wet, closed to 265 pounds. He wasn't huge either. It's all about attitude."

The Saints also have veteran Bobby McCray in the rotation, a backup whom Brown played with in college at Florida. Brown started raving about the defensive scheme and the time he sat down with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and believes he'll fit in quickly.

"I loved coach Williams," he said. "I think his style of defense was another reason. I sat down and talked to him and I loved it. I saw the facility and everything looks great. I can't wait. It's going to be fun."

The Saints begin their voluntary offseason program April 19 and Brown said he'll be there before then.

"I want to get one (ring)," he said. "This is going to be so much fun."