Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith told reporters a few minutes ago that receiver Sam Hurd is still a member of the organization.
I can only assume that's a matter of administrative process and not a reflection of ongoing discussions about Hurd's future. The Bears must distance themselves immediately from a player who allegedly told undercover investigators that he wanted to buy "five to 10 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 pounds of marijuana per week for distribution" in Chicago, according to the police complaint. At the very least, Hurd should be moved to the team's suspended list within the next 24 hours if he isn't waived outright.
It would be too convenient to come down on the Bears for the quality of their background check on Hurd. Undercover federal investigators don't usually offer prospective employers a heads-up on their work. The Bears might not have seen this coming, but they need to react swiftly to end their portion of it.
After that, they should be sick about the dichotomy of the swap they made this summer. They allowed receiver/special teams ace Rashied Davis to sign with the Detroit Lions, in essence signing Hurd as a younger replacement. Hurd gave them eight special teams tackles and eight receptions on offense, while Davis took his sparkling citizenship to Detroit and has helped the Lions to their first non-losing season in more than a decade.
You win some and you lose some. And sometimes, you get crushed.