Hatley, the Bears' vice president of player personnel, agreed to a three-year contract extension Saturday. He reportedly was a leading candidate to replace ousted Saints general manager Bill Kuharich.

"This is the only place I wanted to be," Hatley said during a news conference at Halas Hall, the Bears' practice facility.

"I'm committed to being here for the next three years," he said. "Hopefully, next year at this time we'll be watching us playing in the playoffs instead of Buffalo and Tennessee."

Hatley arrived in Chicago in 1997 to find a team whose talent level had been depleted by years of poor draft picks, bad choices in free agency and questionable trades. In the three years since, he's slowly begun rebuilding the team's core.

There had been some thought Hatley would leave when his contract expired this spring. Though the new deal reportedly will pay him around $400,000 a year, he still doesn't have the title of general manager.

Speculation about his departure increased Wednesday when the Saints fired Kuharich and coach Mike Ditka. Former Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer is reportedly a favorite to replace Ditka, and he and Hatley are friends from their days in Kansas City. Hatley also was a scout and assistant in New Orleans from 1984-86.

Hatley said he wanted to stay in Chicago, regardless of his title.

"I'm comfortable with the structure we have," Hatley said. "Like I said, I'm glad it's done. I'm ready to get concentrated on the unrestricted and the draft."