Defensive end Dan Bazuin agrees to deal with Chicago Bears

By The Associated Press

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Rookie defensive end Dan Bazuin agreed Wednesday to a four-year contract with the Chicago Bears, becoming the last of the team’s 2007 draft picks to agree to a deal.

Bazuin, who was selected by the Bears with the 62nd overall pick in the draft, said signing with the team is a “dream come true.” The agreement came one day before the start of the Bears training camp.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“It feels great,” Bazuin said in a news release. “Being able to get it done before training camp and before everything really starts to happen is really great for me and the organization.”

All nine of the Bears’ 2007 draft picks are expected to be on the field when they open training camp Thursday afternoon at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, about 50 miles south of Chicago.

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Bazuin, a second round pick, was a four-year starter at Central Michigan.

As a senior last season, he recorded 15 tackles for loss, 10« sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, including one he returned 32 yards for a touchdown at Toledo.

The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Bazuin missed most of the Bears’ offseason program after injuring his knee during the rookie minicamp in early May. But he said on Wednesday that the injury shouldn’t bother him during training camp.

“I’d say I’m 95 percent,” he said. “I’ll have no problems doing anything in practice. I’m going to continue to rehab it, but for the most part there’s nothing to be worried about.”