Zach Miller still is recovering from a leg injury that threatened his life and put into question his ability to play football again. But the tight end will have a place with the Bears this season.
The Bears signed Miller to a one-year contract, the team announced Monday. The deal is for $458,000 this season and would jump to $790,000 if he can return to the field, ProFootballTalk reported.
Miller is scheduled to speak with the media Tuesday as the Bears begin their three-day veteran minicamp, their last full practices before training camp opens July 19.
Miller needed urgent vascular surgery after he tore the popliteal artery in his left leg while trying to catch a touchdown pass in an Oct. 29 game against the Saints. He had nine surgeries and didn't begin to walk without crutches until March.
Whether Miller will play again remains in question, but he at least will be an official part of the team this season.
Miller said in April he wasn't yet ready to decide on retirement, and the deal at least will allow him to continue to rehabilitate and be around the team. He said this spring he has a long way to go to rebuild muscle.
"(Retirement) is a realistic thing, I know that, but I haven't made any of those decisions as of yet," he said. "I know there's a point where I'll have to decide on that. I'm just not at that spot yet to determine whether I want to come back and try to play or move on."
Miller, 33, has played three seasons each with the Jaguars and Bears since 2009. He already knows quite a bit about battling injuries after his career was derailed by them from 2012-14. He returned to play for the Bears in 2015 and recorded 101 catches for 1,161 yards and 11 touchdowns over the last three years.
The Bears signed tight end Trey Burton in the offseason to fill the hole left by Miller's injury and also return Dion Sims and Adam Shaheen.
