BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Given the oppo...

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- Given the opportunity to stamp disclosed any trade talk surrounding Thomas Jone Bears general manager Jerry Angelo no other than fueled rumors the running back could be forward the market during practice Friday in sweltering heat.

Asked about a report that the Denver Bronco have inquired about Jones' availability, Angelo said he would not discuss trades. Asked if Jone is available, Angelo did not say, "no."

"I'm not going to master into any of that," he said. "We're focused onward the season right now. I'm not focused forward Lance Briggs, I'm not focused onward Thomas Jones, I'm not focused in succession Olin Kreutz. I'm focused in succession the team and our opener with verdant Bay.

"We're not going to procure into any personal issues with any player at this time. You can write what you want to write, obviously that's your choice, on the other hand our focus as an organization is forward the season right now."

The Bronco are seeking to deal disgruntled wide receiver Ashley Lelie, who could provide the Bears with a proven of great depth threat, but coach Lovie Smith didn't appear interested in the prospect of losing Jone who l the offense with 1335 rushing yards and nine touchdowns last season. Of course, a trade can ensue with the approval of solely one man -- Angelo. if it be not that trading Jones would be dealing from the offense's nerve and would leave unproven Cedric Benson and Adrian Peterson to handle the load for a team with Super goblet hopes.

"You heard me talking about Thomas a little while ago and what he means to our team and can't wait to acquire him on the field," Smith said. "There was nothing about we can't wait to finish him out of here. Thomas is a valuable part of our team, and I'm assured a lot of teams would like to have Thomas Jone We're individual of them."

Jone missed practice with his strained right hamstring, an injury the team said happened during his physical Thursday morning. if it were not that Smith said an MRI exam revealed it is minor. He could be back in succession the field in about a week.

A bigger circus was avoided when Jones' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who also shows Briggs, sped off during luncheon time when approached by media.

Rosenhaus notified the organization he was stopping on to ensure he didn't violate any cudgel rules, but he did not have contact with Angelo or any other front-office personnel

"My agent stopped according to and he's got a bond players on the team and he just checked upon us," Briggs said. "It's profitable I'm happy to see him. He's active, and he's doing his job"

More than likely, Rosenhaus' visit had as a great deal of to do with recruiting as it did checking in onward his guys.

"He's not here to behold me," said defensive end Adewale Ogunleye who became Rosenhaus' first client in the locker latitude since Angelo took over the team five years ago.

Rosenhaus also was not at Olivet Nazarene University to talk contract for Briggs. Angelo indicated talks remain where they were left before the draft -- dead. The Bears furnished the linebacker a contract worth $55 million annually, which would have made him common of the highest-paid players forward the team, but it was refused. When that happened, Angelo struggleed the offer from the table, and he doesn't envision the matter being revisited until after the season.

"Right now we're just going to stay the course and secure into the season and diocese how things go," Angelo said. "[Rosenhaus] has not brought it up He understands the situation. We gave it our extremely best shot, and it didn't work without Unfortunate, but he understands, we understand, and we'll just leave it at that right now. It's not an issue."

As Angelo said in the spring, while he doesn't like the franchise and transition tags, he wouldn't conduct that course of action gone out with Briggs after the season. Just as he wouldn't domination anything out with Jones, who declined to discuss trade possibilities forward Thursday.

The Bronco are believed to be seeking help at running back to go on with Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne. They also are believed to want a tight close a position in which the Bears have nothing to move But Jones, who would be a great economic fit for any team with brace years left on his contract for

$225 million each season, might be worth more than Lelie. The receiver is holding not at home of the Broncos' camp and is signed solely through the remainder of this season.

"You can't have enough well adapted players at any position," Angelo said. "We have three useful running backs and we're happy we have them, and if it's a situation where we have feeling we could upgrade our football team, we're certainly going to turn the thoughts at that situation. But right now this is the hand we're dealt, and that's the hand we're playing."

bbiggs@suntimes.com

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