Bears' Briggs: Pay Me More

By Chuck Sudo in News on Aug 29, 2011 7:04PM

It looks as though Matt Forte's contract status isn't the only one the Bears may have hanging over their heads like a Sword of Damocles. Outside linebacker Lance Briggs made waves over the weekend by saying he wants more money.

It was originally reported yesterday Briggs either wanted the six-year, $36 million contract he signed three years ago renegotiated or he would demand a trade at the end of the season. Briggs backtracked from the trade demand.

"I am not asking to be traded, nor do I want to be traded," Briggs said. "I love it here. I am a Chicago Bear."

Briggs is set to earn $3.9 million this season. Younger, less proven linebackers such as Green Bay's A.J. Hawk, Bart Scott of the New York Jets and Pittsburgh's Lawrence Timmons signed more lucrative contracts, prompting Briggs and agent Drew Rosenhaus to ask Jerry Angelo to restructure Briggs' contract so he can earn more this season.

Briggs has certainly lived up to the terms of the contract, earning three more Pro Bowl appearances since and being arguably the most reliable member of the Bears defense and the team's most reliable linebacker. But he's also weathered injuries the past two seasons and this preseason and, as both Rick Morrissey and Mark Potash pointed out, sometimes life isn't fair, you wind up being unfairly compared to your team's superstar linebacker and sign a contract that looks like a bargain now.

Briggs said he won't let his contract status or the (expected) refusal from Angelo to renegotiate it affect his play on the field.

In other Bears news, it was reported this morning the team would release running back Chester Taylor, who finds himself buried on the depth chart behind Forte and Marion Barber. But that hasn't happened yet. Taylor was a healthy scratch from the Bears game against the Titans Saturday night.