Restricted free agent C.J. Anderson's four-year, $18 million offer sheet with the Miami Dolphins wasn't the highest deal on the table for the in-limbo Denver Broncos tailback.
The Bears offered $19 million over four years, Mike Klis of KUSA in Denver reported.
Although coach John Fox recently expressed confidence in Ka'Deem Carey, he wanted to pair Anderson with Jeremy Langford in Chicago's backfield, per Klis.
Anderson chose the Dolphins' offer "in large part" because of his familiarity with new coach Adam Gase's offense. Gase set records as Denver's offensive coordinator in 2013 and 2014, and even once referred to Anderson as a "little chubby sometimes."
Miami and Chicago weren't the only teams interested in Anderson after Denver failed to tender him at the second-round level. According to Klis, nine teams contacted Anderson's agent during the NFL's "legal tampering" window last Monday and Tuesday.
The list was eventually whittled down to four, including the Patriots and 49ers.
