Lance Briggs Quote

[SoxAce]

I hope that Giants trade rumor is true. He would single handedly help the bears future alone.

[DrunkBomber]

Briggs would of been the youngest of the free agent linebackers. Hes been injury free. Hes in the prime of his career and made it to the Super Bowl this year. He would of made more than Thomas.

[RockRaines]

I hope that Giants trade rumor is true. He would single handedly help the bears future alone.

whats the trade rumor? I havent heard anything.

[jackie hayes]

And this whole thing is pretty simple, it's about signing bonus. The 7.5 million number means nothing, just like the 80 million dollar number for Nate Clements means nothing. The only number in football that matters is singing bonus (aka guaranteed money), and Briggs isn't getting any here, hence the holdout.

I could have sworn the tag money is now guaranteed once you sign the offer.

 

Right now I take this as posturing. He was careful to say that he loves his teammates, his coaches, the city, blah blah blah, so there won't be a problem if he decides to come back. It's just the usual tough talk in order to get his contract this year.

 

It's his right, and I can understand why he's upset. But I'm a Bears fan, so I just don't care.

[Scwible]

I hope that Giants trade rumor is true. He would single handedly help the bears future alone.

What rumor do you speak of my friend?

[RockRaines]

What rumor do you speak of my friend?

I just read it.

 

Briggs for the Giants 1st 2nd and 5th rounder.

[lord chas]

I just read it.

 

Briggs for the Giants 1st 2nd and 5th rounder.

why would any team give the bears more than one draft pick when they have all the leverage?

[southsider2k5]

I just read it.

 

Briggs for the Giants 1st 2nd and 5th rounder.

That can't be true, because if it was, he would be wearing a Giants uniform as we speak.

[Kyyle23]

Briggs would of been the youngest of the free agent linebackers. Hes been injury free. Hes in the prime of his career and made it to the Super Bowl this year. He would of made more than Thomas.

 

Briggs also turned down a reported 6 year 33 million dollar contract last year with a nice fat signing bonus. His lack of respect card is bullsh*t.

 

And the difference between Adalious Thomas paycheck and Lance Briggs paycheck lies in one difference in their game: the ability to rush the quarterback. Thomas is regarded as a pass-rushing linebacker in the 3-4 defense, who can line up at end and rush in a straight up stance if needs be. Thomas would be right there with Briggs in money, if not making more.

[AssHatSoxFan]

That can't be true, because if it was, he would be wearing a Giants uniform as we speak.

Well if the Giants wanted to sign/negotiate a contract with him and the Bears didn't want to match then the bears would receive two 1st rounders. So the bears do have some leverage, but that is still a pretty good offer to have if it is in fact true.

[southsider2k5]

Well if the Giants wanted to sign/negotiate a contract with him and the Bears didn't want to match then the bears would receive two 1st rounders. So the bears do have some leverage, but that is still a pretty good offer to have if it is in fact true.

 

Its not much leverage because the entire world knows that no one is going to sign Briggs and give up two first round picks. It never happens. I honestly don't know if it has ever actually happened.

[AssHatSoxFan]

Its not much leverage because the entire world knows that no one is going to sign Briggs and give up two first round picks. It never happens. I honestly don't know if it has ever actually happened.

most teams manage to get a first round pick out of it i think so if that rumored deal was true then there is no way the bears shouldnt take that offer

[CanOfCorn]

Franchise Tag money is guaranteed.

 

Holdout baby...go ahead, forfeit that cash. Look like an idiot. I wonder where Rosenhaus is in all of this? Is he laying low for a reason? Just pulling strings?

[Jimbo's Drinker]

Franchise Tag money is guaranteed.

 

Holdout baby...go ahead, forfeit that cash. Look like an idiot. I wonder where Rosenhaus is in all of this? Is he laying low for a reason? Just pulling strings?

 

 

he has more important clients.

[DrunkBomber]

Briggs also turned down a reported 6 year 33 million dollar contract last year with a nice fat signing bonus. His lack of respect card is bullsh*t.

 

And the difference between Adalious Thomas paycheck and Lance Briggs paycheck lies in one difference in their game: the ability to rush the quarterback. Thomas is regarded as a pass-rushing linebacker in the 3-4 defense, who can line up at end and rush in a straight up stance if needs be. Thomas would be right there with Briggs in money, if not making more.

Thomas is more valuable to teams in a 3-4 and Briggs is more valuable to teams that run a 4-3. In an open market though Briggs is more valuable. Its easier to transition to a 3-4 and simply rush the passer than have to learn how to cover.

[Controlled Chaos]

When Briggs turned down that very fair offer of 5 years at over 6 million a year a while back, he should have known this was the risk he was taking. However with that said, all those Bears fans who think Briggs can just be replaced by a Leon Joe or Jamar Williams are sadly mistaken. There is a reason this team was bad in-between Holdman and Colvin leaving and Briggs emerging, and it's not just the QB.

 

And this whole thing is pretty simple, it's about signing bonus. The 7.5 million number means nothing, just like the 80 million dollar number for Nate Clements means nothing. The only number in football that matters is singing bonus (aka guaranteed money), and Briggs isn't getting any here, hence the holdout.

Briggs will be replaced. The year the Bears were without Holdman and Colvin was 2004. This was also the year Urlacher missed 7 games and the Bears lost all seven. That is the guy that can't be replaced. Briggs got repsect with the Bears contract offer...he didn't take it and knew this tag was an option. This falls on him and his agent. Let him sit out all year and make nothing or let him be a man and try to get by on his 7.2 mil.

[DrunkBomber]

Briggs will be replaced. The year the Bears were without Holdman and Colvin was 2004. This was also the year Urlacher missed 7 games and the Bears lost all seven. That is the guy that can't be replaced. Briggs got repsect with the Bears contract offer...he didn't take it and knew this tag was an option. This falls on him and his agent. Let him sit out all year and make nothing or let him be a man and try to get by on his 7.2 mil.

DO you think if he sits out we wont trade him? I would rather try to get something for him if hes gonna sit out than just let him rot.

[Balta1701]

DO you think if he sits out we wont trade him? I would rather try to get something for him if hes gonna sit out than just let him rot.

The Patriots picked up an extra first round pick for Branch when Branch was holding out.

[Controlled Chaos]

DO you think if he sits out we wont trade him? I would rather try to get something for him if hes gonna sit out than just let him rot.

First off I don't think he will sit out a whole year. That's a whole lot of money to throw away. Over 450k per game. If he does sit out he won't even get the 6yr 33 mill offer he already turned down. He can act like he never knew where he stood with the Bears, but it's all bulls***. They were ready to make him the second highest player on the team and he said no. He knew the tag was an option, in fact, Angelo even alerted him to the fact. You made your bed Lance. This is a business, are the Bears suppose to make moves detrimental to their success just to be nice to a player??

 

As for trading him, something can come along, but I do't see Angelo giving in. With Lance going public like this, he put all the leverage to the other teams. He could have met with Angelo privately and made these demands, but now he hurts Angelo in trade talks, which in turn hurts his own chance of getting traded. See ya opening day Lance. Your agent blew this one for ya.

[mr_genius]

DO you think if he sits out we wont trade him? I would rather try to get something for him if hes gonna sit out than just let him rot.

 

we need to get atleast a first round pick for him

 

he won't sit out a year, i would call his bluff.

Edited March 6, 2007 by mr_genius

[Chisoxfn]

why would any team give the bears more than one draft pick when they have all the leverage?

Because they don't have all the leverage. The Bears have leverage as Briggs would have to sit out an entire season if he really was so pissed and quite frankly thats just not that great off an option when he could at least be making just over 7 mill with a one year deal with the Bears.

 

We hold the leverage as Briggs has no options really. Now that he's asked to be traded we can shop him around and my hope is for a first this year and next year or a first this year and a 2nd this year as well as something like a 3rd or 4th next year. Its only fair (unless of course the first rounder we get is top 10).

 

Sorry but Briggs is a stud and we should be more than willing to hold onto him for a year (or at least play it off like we are willing to do so).

 

I do expect Briggs to be dealt though and for the Bears to have a bevy of picks to work with.

 

 

Briggs also turned down a reported 6 year 33 million dollar contract last year with a nice fat signing bonus. His lack of respect card is bullsh*t.

 

And the difference between Adalious Thomas paycheck and Lance Briggs paycheck lies in one difference in their game: the ability to rush the quarterback. Thomas is regarded as a pass-rushing linebacker in the 3-4 defense, who can line up at end and rush in a straight up stance if needs be. Thomas would be right there with Briggs in money, if not making more.

Thomas is also substantially older. I think with both on the open market, Briggs gets just a bit more than Thomas.

[Wedge]

At this point, he'd be a good fit for the Raiders

[DBAHO]

Bit of a damning article;

 

When speaking with personnel directors, the two best available linebackers heading into free agency were Baltimore's Adalius Thomas and Chicago's Lance Briggs. Of course, the Bears placed the franchise tag on Briggs, upsetting the player to no end because he knows Chicago will never offer him a five-year, $35 million contract like Thomas collected from New England.

 

Heck, Thomas turned down a better deal from the San Francisco 49ers, because he didn't want to move to the West Coast. Plus he believes that the Patriots know more about getting to Super Bowls than Mike Nolan's outfit at the present time. Meanwhile, Briggs is doing a slow burn because he played for less than $700,000 this past season, his second consecutive year in the Pro Bowl.

 

One thing you have to love about the Bears is that they make all their employees play out their contracts. Ted Phillips doesn't play favorites in this area. The team president did it with head coach Lovie Smith and he recently treated running back Thomas Jones so badly that the team simply traded him to the New York Jets for a second-round pick. Upon his arrival, the Jets gave Jones a $12 million signing bonus because he rushed for 3,874 yards the past three seasons in Chicago. The Bears would never consider rewarding a solid player like Jones with that kind of money, especially not when he was under contract for $2.7 million this upcoming season.

 

It is easy to rip the Bears because all around them the NFL world is throwing $49 million packages at guards and basically losing its financial mind. But the Bears know they don't have to do that because they play in the NFC North. Smith and his team have to worry a little about the Green Bay Packers, but the rest of the division is a joke.

 

Chicago's biggest problem with Briggs is that to keep him, he should earn more than all-world linebacker Brian Urlacher. Four years ago, Urlacher received the best deal ever given to a linebacker, including a $13 million signing bonus. Well, Jones almost got the same amount from the Jets while Thomas received almost $20 million in guaranteed money. Hey, we all know that Thomas isn't as good as Urlacher, but his ability is close.

 

What's the solution for Briggs?

 

Well, he may have to turn into Terrell Owens, which is totally out of character for him. I mean, he's going to have to skip mini-camps like he did a year ago and get fined and basically become a pain in the butt to Smith and the team. His only option is to force their hand, similar to what Deion Branch did last August when he got himself traded to Seattle for a ridiculous contract.

 

It's the only option for Briggs, who has been a team leader and a very good tackler for the Bears. I know the franchise salary is $7.2 million, but that's not enough for one of the game's best defensive players.

 

When it comes to franchise players, the system is no longer working. Dwight Freeney is going through the same deal as Briggs is now, except the Colts will attempt to pay Freeney among the game's best defensive players.

 

Maybe that's the difference between winning the Super Bowl and losing it. The Colts paid their stars and the Bears paid Urlacher and a few other guys while never rewarding Jones and Briggs. The system prevents teams from taking care of everybody in a fair fashion, but Chicago shouldn't utilize the same system to force solid contributors like Briggs and now-departed Jones to be constantly mad at the front office.

[EvilMonkey]

Bit of a damning article;

Damning to who? That the Bears make players honor their contracts? I love how it tries to make the Bears as the bad guys for making players stick to the deals THEY MADE.

One thing you have to love about the Bears is that they make all their employees play out their contracts. Ted Phillips doesn't play favorites in this area. The team president did it with head coach Lovie Smith and he recently treated running back Thomas Jones so badly that the team simply traded him to the New York Jets for a second-round pick. Upon his arrival, the Jets gave Jones a $12 million signing bonus because he rushed for 3,874 yards the past three seasons in Chicago. The Bears would never consider rewarding a solid player like Jones with that kind of money, especially not when he was under contract for $2.7 million this upcoming season.

If you want the 'security' of a long term deal (actually security of the signing bonus), then you have to deal with thre fact that you may be comparatively underpaid in the last year or two of your deal.

[whitesoxfan101]

Damning to who? That the Bears make players honor their contracts? I love how it tries to make the Bears as the bad guys for making players stick to the deals THEY MADE.

 

Your right in principle, but simply put, any pro team that won't rip up cheap, older contracts will be known as cheap, regardless of if it's right or wrong. Also, I'm not sure how that applies to Briggs. He signed a 4 year contract, played it out, and now he's getting screwed. Thing is, that's not the Bears fault, but rather the fault of NFL ass kisser Gene Upshaw and his "players assocation" who let the franchise tag quagmire exist.