Bears ink LB Tinoisamoa to one-year contract

Sports Network | May 29, 2009

Lake Forest, IL (Sports Network) - The Chicago Bears agreed to a one-year contract with linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa on Friday. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Tinoisamoa, who was the leading tackler for the St. Louis Rams last season, apparently did not fit into new head coach Steve Spagnuolo's defensive scheme, as the linebacker was given his release in May.

The six-year veteran made 135 tackles, including 88 solo and also notched three sacks in 2008. He will be reunited with Bears head coach Lovie Smith, who was Tinoisamoa's defensive coordinator in St. Louis during the 2003 campaign.

For his career, the former University of Hawaii product has registered 661 tackles, including 418 solo, with 10 sacks and seven interceptions in 84 games, including 83 starts.