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Chicagoist hopes that IDOT has placed their orders for reinforced guard rails and extra sign posts because Lance Briggs will be remaining with the Bears after signing a 6-year, $36 million deal over the weekend.
Briggs' contract ends a year-long saga for the All Pro linebacker that included a rejected $33 million offer, the Bears applying their "franchise" tag to Briggs, which limited his free agency prospects, and his threats to hold out for the entire 2007 season because he was unhappy with the treatment from the Bears. He ended up signing the one-year contract stipulated by the terms of the "franchise" tag league rules, had a good season in '07 and looked ready to cash in elsewhere.
But after many interested teams looked toward more cost-effective options at linebacker, and the Bears increased their offer from previous ones, Briggs decided staying in Chicago was best.
Briggs's new deal is a big relief to Bears fans, who feared having a big hole in the defense to fill -- especially with the questionable health of Brian Urlacher. While the Bears' middle linebacker insists he'll be 100 percent come training camp, the combination of injuries he's suffered as well as his age mean his best days could be behind him.
While the Bears defense was able to keep its biggest free agent in the fold, the offense wasn't so lucky. Bernard Berrian, their top wide receiver, signed with the rival Minnesota Vikings on Saturday. Their offer was double what the Bears offered the wideout.
So why didn't the Bears use the franchise tag on Berrian this year, just as they did last year on Briggs? Sure, there was some ugliness between the two parties but the Bears ultimately kept their star. By losing their top deep threat without a fight, the Bears' passing game will be worse in 2008 than it was last season -- if that's possible. Newly signed quarterbacks Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton will be competing for the starting QB position. But to whom will they be trying to throw the ball? Jerry Angelo certainly has his work cut out for him in coming weeks.
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
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The Bears offense has more problems than overpaying for a streaky receiver would have solved. They need major upgrades at RB and on the offensive line, and who knows if Orton or (shudder) Grossman will pan out.
I agree with Chuck.
You don't win games in Soldier Field in November by chucking the ball 60 yards downfield. And you almost certainly never go deep in the playoffs without a running game (unless you're the Patriots. And we all saw how that went...)
You win those type of games by slogging it out between the tackles and making the opposing defense respect the run. THEN you can pass. We've tried Salaam, Enis, and Benson to little to no success. Thomas Jones was solid, but not a home run hitter by any stretch of the imagination. We need RB help fast and a line to run behind before we splurge on a deep threat.
Does this give the Bears the ammo to continue the Rex Grossman experiment indefinitely? Next year when Rex puts in his typical Rex season, will he have to get another chance because he had no one to throw to?
I certainly agree that the Bears have other potentially bigger areas to address at running back and o-line, but it's also often easier to keep guys you've got than to convince guys to come -- just like those of us in marketing know it's easier to sell to existing customers than acquire new ones.
Since they already waived Moose and rid themselves of his contract, I'd have been OK with them overpaying Berrian a bit to have some stability at WR. Doesn't this make Mark Bradley their #1 receiver?
the Bears need to address offense - period. they need a line, wide receivers, running back, quarterback, coordinator ... you name it, this team probably doesn't have it. I don't think Angelo has figured out that typically, to beat other teams in the NFL, you need to score points. Scoring points is a part of the game. As John Madden says, "the team that scores the most points and makes the fewest mistakes, usually wins." Gee, thanks John.
Angelo lives by this mantra: "The team that overpays the most and makes the most mistakes, usually ends up holding its own dick at the end of the season."
@Jmagic:
I'm comfortable with them at Center, Tight End, and Fullback. Does that help a little?
it helps a little Pb ... and lets not forget Hester.
Yeah, but on offense? He's hardly Jerry Rice. He seems better running into a crowd better than running with one.
ok ... say we draft Mendenhall as ESPN heads project in their updated mock draft. do we:
a) cut Garrett Wolfe
b) trade Cedric Benson (only, I don't know who would want him)
c) platoon Mendenhall and Benson
d) don't draft Mendenhall even if he's there and take an offensive lineman
hmmm ...
I think we should give Adrian Peterson a chance to feature for a little bit. He did break a ton of Walter's D-IA Records.
And this should totally be Cedric Benson's last shot. I just don't see this season as a good one for the Bears, so why not run the freaking ball 200-400 times a game and see who pans out?
Well, if Angelo drafts a running back - hopefully one larger than 5-8, 175 lbs (not that I have anything against Wolfe, I thought he was great at NIU) we can assume that Benson's days are numbered if not over.
I agree in giving AP more carries, but his progress is going to be based on how the offensive line plays. Averaging less than 4 ypc is awful and when you have two backs averaging that, you see that the real problem isn't them, but the people up front.
meanwhile, Thomas Jones will run for over 1,200 yards this year with the addition of Faneca to the Jets. Isn't that just a nice kick in the crotch!