In an unexpected move, Chicago Bears RB Marion Barber -- and a likely candidate for for the backup running back position for the St. Louis Rams -- retired without any apparent forewarning:
RB Marion Barber retires. One final run out of bounds.
— Will Brinson (@willbrinson) March 23, 2012
Barber played in the NFL for seven years and was turning only 29 in 2012. The Bears were expected to release Barber and save $2 million against their cap, but his sudden retirement has done the deed for them anyway.
The Rams presumably would have brought Barber in to serve as RB Steven Jackson's backup in case any of Jackson's lingering injury issues resurfaced in 2012.
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