Talks between the Bears and Matt Forte have escalated to the point where the team has extended a contract offer worth in the neighborhood of up to $15M guaranteed, sources indicated to ESPNChicago.com. Given recent statements by GM Jerry Angelo, and the fact the regular season is less than two weeks away, it appears negotiations are likely coming to a close whether or not Forte agrees to the deal, in which the total value and length weren't disclosed.

Defensive end Alex Brown said Wednesday that he's heard from three teams since being released from the Saints on Tuesday, and he said one of those teams is the team that drafted him, the Bears, according to an ESPN.com report.

The Bears have released defensive end Vernon Gholston. Gholston was drafted with the sixth overall pick by the Jets back in 2008. He was released in March after failing to record a sack in three seasons. He appeared in three preseason games with the Bears.

The Bears haven't released running back Chester Taylor, but he has been told that he isn't in their plans. An NFL source confirmed that what the coaches said to Taylor was that he was no longer in Chicago's plans because Marion Barber had been running well. Taylor also was told that teams had inquired about trading for him, but he wasn't told which teams, according to a source. There is a good amount of confusion regarding the situation though, as some teammates discussed Taylor's departure. "It's always sad to see a fellow running back leave," Kahlil Bell said. "I wouldn't say I'm happy about it, nobody is, but at the same time all I can control is what I can control. That's all I plan on doing is going out there and doing the best I can do." The Bears may be trying to salvage something out of Taylor's deal by trying to trade him for a late-round draft pick.

Bears linebacker Lance Briggs wants a new contract, but the six-time Pro Bowler insists that the issues won't be a distraction. "I'm going to go out and play the game the way I've always played it and see what happens," Briggs said. "I'm going to plug away and do what I've always done. I'm here to help us win a championship." Briggs emphasized he won't immediately seek a trade. "I am not asking to be traded, nor do I want to be traded," Briggs said. "I love it here. I am a Chicago Bear."

Bears running back Chester Taylor didn't play on Saturday night against the Titans. Taylor didn't even get into the game after backup Marion Barber left with a calf injury. "My running backs coach (Tim Spencer) told me after I came out for pregame that I wasn't playing," Taylor said. "He didn't give me no reason or no excuse or nothing. It can't be from the competition because it's hard to get three carries in a preseason game and the other players are getting 13, 14 carries. That's not comparing anything. It's not from production and play." Even Kahlil Bell stepped in front of Taylor and had 11 carries for 48 yards. Many have speculated that Taylor would be released at some point with a base salary of $1.25 million this season. "Yeah, I'm disappointed," he said. "I'm practicing all week thinking I'm going to play. Just for them to come out of the blue and say that, yeah, I'm disappointed."

Bears linebacker Lance Briggs approached the organization in recent weeks seeking a raise over the $3.65 million in base salary he's scheduled to receive in 2011, according to multiple sources. A six-time Pro-Bowl selection, Briggs missed his second preseason outing Saturday night because of a bruised knee. Briggs seeks a raise commensurate to some of the recent high-profile linebacker signings around the league, according to a source.

Jay Cutler reported to training camp 15 pounds lighter this month. Last season, Cutler's playing weight was 233 pounds. "I have not been this lean," Cutler said. "I can tell the difference in my footwork and just the ability to get up in the pocket. You know, I don't really get as tired as much throughout camp because I'm not carrying all that weight. Whether it's good or bad, we'll wait to see." Cutler explained that he typically loses weight over the course of a football season. However, unlike every offseason in the past, the quarterback didn't put any of the weight back on once the season ended.

Jay Cutler says wide receiver Roy Williams, who signed with the team this month, is still learning. Williams worked with Chicago offensive coordinator Mike Martz in Detroit, but Cutler says this system is different. Cutler expects Williams to be "right where we need him" when the regular season opens on Sept. 11 at Soldier Field. Williams agreed, saying, "everybody wants us to click right now, but it's going to take a little time." "He's figuring stuff out. Missing those days of training camp kind of hurt him, set him back a little bit," Cutler said. "But you can just tell he's thinking. We do things a little bit different from Detroit, and obviously Dallas. There are just little nuances in our offense and little details you can see [that] he's still processing and thinking through."

Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas tore his right ACL in Monday night's 41-13 win over the Bears, and will likely miss the entire season. And the devastating news became too much to take for Thomas' teammates in the Giants' secondary. "We found out before halftime, and most of us had tears in our eyes," safety Deon Grant said. "Just to see the work he put in this offseason, and seeing his confidence level and what he'd been doing during training camp, it bothered us more than regular injury." "We had tears in our eyes for him, because we knew how humble he was with it, and how good he was looking. "(At halftime) I prayed with him, and told him don't kill your spirit. We know your plan was to go out there and play big, but sometimes God's plan is a lot different than what our plan is, and we told him that."