Didn't he ask for a trade last year? That's why I thought it was odd. There were reports he asked for a trade after Jared Allen was traded. But the glowing/growing relationship stories came a couple months later, which should tell you that the team was feeding this to the beat guys and positive on him in general. I think the fact that it's May now should put a rest to there being any real surprise to them looking at an extension with him. They kept him at cut time and through the draft and are seemingly trying to build a competitive 2016 team on the strength of a rejuvenated defense. They've cut ties with plenty of other guys, and while teams often clean house in a system overhaul, that doesn't always mean everything/everybody must go. And the fact that they haven't cut ties with him yet, have cap space, still need bodies and fed positive stories to the press last December should at least make it plausible that they'd want to keep him past this season. That said, this could just be a negotiating tool with Alshon showing that the Bears are willing to extend established Emery era players. And maybe they cut him next week.