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Just days after Bears management redeemed themselves by locking up Lovie Smith for the next five years, they once again have us scratching our heads. They traded Thomas Jones, the team's starting running back, to the New York Jets along with their late second-round pick for an early second-round draft pick. Are we missing something?
Jones ran for over 1,200 yards in 2006, carrying the ball 296 times and averaging 4.1 yards a carry. He became the first Bears running back since Walter Payton to run for over 1,200 yards in two consecutive seasons. He ran for over 300 yards in the playoffs. And the Bears dump him in return for jumping up in the second round?
Sure, the Bears have Cedric Benson, the 4th overall pick in the 2005 draft. Benson did come on strong towards the end of the season, but he still hasn't really proven he can be the durable back who can carry 300 times or rush for over 1000 yards.
Even if Benson is ready to assume the mantle as the Bears' featured back, the NFL has become a two-back league. In addition to the Bears effective tandem, most of the top teams in the NFL had two rushers with more than 500 yards — the Colts' Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai, the Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Turner, the Saints' Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush, and the Patriots' Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney. So if the two-back setup clearly works, why would the Bears end this setup? Jones recently asked for either a trade or a contract extension, so Bears management chose the trade route. We just don't get it.
Jones may not be the last Bears star bolting town ... or at least hoping to. The Bears placed the "franchise" tag on Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs, the first time they've used the designation to hold on to a potential free agent in the Jerry Angelo era. In return for having the ability to retain Briggs' rights, the Bears are obligated to pay him the average of the top five salaries at his position. As a restricted free agent, should he receive an offer the Bears don't match, they would receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.
But free agents began signing huge deals as soon as the free agency period began last week, and Briggs' frustration at being left out of the feeding frenzy has him pissed.
In a phone interview with ESPN.com on Sunday night, he said:
There's a difference between the Chicago Bears team and the Chicago Bears organization. The Chicago Bears team? The coaches, players, city and fans? Yeah, I could stay there forever. I love it. But the Chicago Bears organization? I don't want to be there anymore. I won't play for them, and I'll do everything in my power to keep from playing there.
Can Bears management step up and offer a long-term deal that will make Briggs happy? Or is the relationship truly beyond repair? During Sunday's interview, he claimed only two positive outcomes, "They need to either [rescind] the franchise tag, and let me move on, or trade me to another team. Because that's about the only way this thing can have any kind of a positive resolution." Neither of those options include Briggs in a Bears uniform next season.
So do the Bears abide by Briggs' wishes, as they did for Jones? Do they retain him and have to deal with a disgruntled player all next season? Or can they make him happy with a lucrative deal?
With Briggs possibly on the way out, and Jones already gone, things are not looking up for the Bears in 2007. Hope you all enjoyed the Bears' appearance in Super Bowl XLI. It's gonna be a long time before we see the Bears playing in the "Big Game" again.
Images via scout.com.
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YOU SUCK BENJY!
They were going to deal Jones one way or another, but I'm surprised at how little they got for him. Maybe they have a lot of confidence in Adrian Peterson. Maybe they feel that Benson can handle a full workload since he's been splitting time the last couple years (a bold decision, considering his injury history).
As for Briggs, he's doing what he has to do: fighting the franchise tag every step of the way. Look at players who've been franchised over the last five years and you'll see that more and more of them (probably at the behest of their agents) go for the franchise's throat in an all-out PR campaign. This won't end soon.
let's not forget TJ did try to run his ex-wife over with his car. so not really a "character" guy
With the salary cap you can't have two highly payed players at a single skill position and CB is HIGHLY paid as a number 1 pick. For this same reason early 2nd round picks are valuable cause you can still get excellent talent without parting with first round money.
Strike that, it was Michael Pittman who tried to run over his wife. TJ just had a non-football injury (broke his hand answering the telephone?) and was suspended without pay for six games.
CB is highly paid but Thomas Jones isn't...he's making about $2 mill so it doesn't make sense to dump him just for salary. There's no reason why the Bears couldn't have hung onto him for one more year. Shockingly stupid move, compounded by the fact that they got nothing in return.
I'm a big fan of TJ, but the reality is, those two running backs didn't get along and didn't like sharing duties. I think they put their egos aside last season because the Bears were doing so well, but next season who knows what would have happened. Add to that Thomas Jones age (turns 29 this year), and really, how many good years does he have left at this point?
So yeah, I definitely think they should have gotten more from him in trade, but I don't think this was a bad move, overall. It sounds like they're going to need that early second round pick to draft a linebacker now!
Well, there's Mike Mulligan's analysis of the trade, which he thinks is good. It allows Benson to become the top dog, while letting the Bears restock through the draft. It keeps the focus on both the short and long-term talent level of the team. there's also the possibility of pairing the Jets' pick with another pick and moving up in the first round.
Or, you could take the Jay Mariotti "Misers of the Midway" approach and say that the Bears are one sep away from a 6-10 season by trading away Jones. The Bears are still the class of the division, if not the NFC.
f jay marriotti right in the ear.