Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said Friday the air has been cleared with the Baltimore Ravens after members of that organization ripped his franchise over a botched trade in April's NFL Draft.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh and owner Steve Bisciotti accused the Bears of lying after an aborted trade involving their first-round picks led to controversy, but the fence has since been mended.
"I was surprised that he said that publicly," Angelo told WMVP-AM in Chicago about Harbaugh's criticism, per the *Carroll County Times*. "I knew they were upset, and I would be upset too. I did call John, and we cleared the air. There was no intent on our part.
"Whatever facts that he thought were facts I said were misrepresented. I explained some things to him from our side. We'd be more than willing ... I said check the phone logs, do what you want, talk to whoever you want. What I said initially is what it was. I think John understands that. We left it wishing each other well. I think it's in the past and it's behind us."
The Bears told the Ravens they would trade their 29th overall pick and a fourth-round selection (127th overall) for the 26th pick to ensure they landed offensive lineman Gabe Carimi. But the deal fell through when the Bears failed to contact the league to consummate it, and the Ravens were moved back one slot because time ran out on their selection. That enraged the Ravens, who demanded compensation.
Harbaugh went on the "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on WMVP-AM last month and accused the Bears of lying about the aborted trade.
"I'm not buying a 'mistake' thing," Harbaugh said. "They knew what they were doing."
"They agreed to (trade) a pick," he added. "They got their guy (Carimi) on the phone. They recognized he wasn't getting calls from the team behind them (the Kansas City Chiefs). And then they basically stalled for over a minute, telling us that they had called the trade in. So that was just not honest."
"I have nothing but the highest respect for the organization," Angelo said. "Ozzie Newsome and I have gone back a long, long way. It was unfortunate. It was a mistake. I'm embarrassed by it. These are good people. There was no intent involved in the least."
After Chiefs took Pittsburgh wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin at No. 26, the Ravens still got the player they coveted in cornerback Jimmy Smith at No. 27. The Bears then selected Carimi at 29th overall.
