LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The opportunity to reunite with Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner made Chicago an attractive destination for free-agent wide receiver Brandon Lloyd.

The speedy sixth-year pro, who starred at the University of Illinois when Turner was head coach of the Fighting Illini, signed a one-year contract with the Bears on Friday.

Receiver Brandon Lloyd spent the past two seasons with the Washington Redskins.

“It means a lot as far as the trust factor and coach Ron knowing the things that I’m able to do and believing in me,” Lloyd said during a teleconference with reporters. “That gives me a lot of confidence.”

The 6-foot, 200-pounder joins the Bears after catching 130 passes for 1,889 yards and 13 touchdowns in five NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (2003-05) and Washington Redskins (2006-07).

Lloyd had just two receptions for 14 yards in eight games last season before being placed on injured reserve Nov. 15 after breaking his collarbone in practice. He was cut by Washington Feb. 26.

Lloyd, 26, entered the NFL as a fourth-round draft pick with the 49ers. He was traded to the Redskins on March 11, 2006 in exchange for a third-round pick in 2006 and a fourth-round selection in 2007.

“Brandon’s a playmaker,” Turner said. “I recruited him out of high school and was with him for three years at Illinois. He was very productive down there, so I’ve got a good feel for what he can do.

“[Receivers coach] Darryl Drake and I went back and looked at all his game film as we do with any available free agent, and I feel he can still play and that hopefully he can come in and be a good fit with the receivers that we have here right now.”

Having Turner to lean on should help Lloyd, who has had some behavioral issues in his NFL career. He was criticized by teammates for his attitude in San Francisco and had to be disciplined on more than one occasion in Washington.

“The past two teams that I’ve been on, it hasn’t been the smoothest ride in the world,” Lloyd said. “To really have somebody in my corner who really believes in me and has known me since I was 17 years old and really knows the foundation of what kind of person I am, it means a lot.”

Lloyd vowed Friday to work hard and earn the respect of his coaches and teammates in Chicago.

“The best thing that I can do for myself is just come in and work,” he said. “I’m just going to continue to try to find my fit and try to find my path in this league because I feel I have the talent to play and I’m going to continue to play until I reach my goal.

“I’m not going to say it all wasn’t my fault and it was all somebody else’s fault. But I just look forward to not necessarily starting with a clean slate but coming in and earning my spot and just getting the opportunities that I feel I deserve and really stepping up and making those plays and helping the team win. That’s really all it comes down to.

“I just want to come in and play and help this team get better no matter what role coach Lovie [Smith] or coach Ron puts me in. I want to earn my spot and pull my weight on this football team.”

Lloyd signed with the Bears just three days after fellow wideout Marty Booker agreed to a two-year contract to rejoin his former team. Turner has yet to define roles for his receivers, but he's eager to see how Lloyd and Booker will fit in.

"When they get in here, we'll start teaching them the offense and get them comfortable with everything," Turner said. "We've got a good feel for what they can do. But we want to see them in the offseason in the OTAs and the minicamps working with our quarterbacks and fitting in with the other guys that we have."