Thread: Bears Have Big Decision to Make Over Briggs...........

Originally Posted by Dagan81

Lance Briggs is getting paid a fair wage right now. If he's not happy with it, that's tough. He should honor his contract like normal Americans do and then let his play do the talking. By the way, I've mentioned this in other threads, but his play has deteriorated this past year with his inability to cover big-bodied receivers like tight-ends, and he missed a bunch of tackles particularly in the early part of the season.

That is true Dagan but I believe he had a knee injury early in the season that he played through. I don't like his whining but Briggs is a warrior & our defense is better with him. I think we would be wise to throw him a bone here as long as we don't break the bank like 4Da said earlier. JHMO

Originally Posted by BearJim

That is true Dagan but I believe he had a knee injury early in the season that he played through. I don't like his whining but Briggs is a warrior & our defense is better with him. I think we would be wise to throw him a bone here as long as we don't break the bank like 4Da said earlier. JHMO

Did you know that Mike Ditka would disagree with you? LOL

Actually, that's all the more reason I would consider getting rid of him, Jim. If he is starting to have knee issues, his play is going to deteriorate even more. With his incessant whining for more money, it just makes sense to make a break away from him now before we pay too much for it later.

Well I think we both would agree that he got better as the year went on so I don't think he has a knee issue. He hurt it & it got better, even as he played on it. Using him to get Coples would be the only way I would consider trading him, unless he whined & whined & became a locker room problem. Plus if we trade him we have another hole to fill.

Ditka doesn't like him because he wants a raise midway through his contract. But if you ask Ditka about Briggs as a player he would probably tell you he is a warrior.

Originally Posted by BearJim

That is true Dagan but I believe he had a knee injury early in the season that he played through. I don't like his whining but Briggs is a warrior & our defense is better with him. I think we would be wise to throw him a bone here as long as we don't break the bank like 4Da said earlier. JHMO

Yeah, no one can argue with the fact that despite the position he took he went out and played the season without any more quarrel's and with every ounce of effort he could give. Someone said (Ric or Jimmors maybe) that he looked somewhat heavy and out of shape when the season began and I would agree that his play seemed to have slipped some but it did get better as the season progressed. The guy still struggles in coverage though.

If we extended his contract one more year at his 2013 salary ($6.25) mil or with a small raise to say $6.75mil and offered a $3 mil SB which would be amortized over the next three years to me that would be a fair offer that won't break the bank. The $6 mil plus he earns isn't out of line with his abilities and it only costs us an additional $1 mil against the cap this year. If that solves the problem and he finishes his career with the Bears it will be money well spent. Nothing is guaranteed beyond this year anyway.