CHICAGO -- Free agent defensive tackle Anthony Adams' stance hasn't waivered since teams were permitted to begin negotiating with free agents: he wants to keep playing for the Chicago Bears.
"I hope [to be back with the Bears]," Adams told the "Carmen, Jurko and Harry Show" on ESPN 1000. "I don't want to be naive about this whole ordeal because the business side of it is very shrewd. But we just have to wait and see how everything plays out. I've expressed time and time again that I would love to be here. The Bears as an organization knows I want to be there....players, coaches and the fans do as well. I just have to wait and see what happens. But as I keep saying, I love it here.
"32 teams are out there. I only want to go to one."
It sounds like Adams' only issue with the Bears relates to his jersey number.
"I hope I'm there [at training camp in Bourbonnais, Il.] and I hope I'm not wearing No. 95 so they can retire that number for my man Richard Dent," Adams said. "I'll wear a [stinky number] so they can retire that number, I'll wear like No. 60. No offense to all the guys rocking No. 60, but for a defensive lineman, that's kind of stinky."
A former second-round pick out of Penn State by the San Francisco 49ers, Adams started 16 games for the Bears in 2010 at the nose tackle spot. He finished the season with 36 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and four tackles for a loss.
The Bears did invest in the defensive tackle position during the NFL draft when they selected Stephen Paea in the second round out of Oregon State. There is also a chance the team could opt to add another veteran, besides Adams, when free agents are officially eligible to sign with teams on Friday at 5 p.m. That reality, however, has done nothing to diminish Adams' desire to return to continue his career in Chicago.
"Coach [Rod] Marinelli would be the first to tell you that you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable," Adams said. "Every year I've been in the league they've drafted a defensive tackle. It just makes the team that much better because you have to go out there and compete. If you're good, they're going to find a place for you. That makes the team better because everybody wants to get on the field."