The following is from ESPN.com:
At one point, Lance Briggs said he would never play for the Chicago Bears again. That stance may be a thing of past.
The Chicago Tribune reported that as of Tuesday night, there were strong indications the two sides were coming close to an agreement that would end a messy contract dispute and land Briggs in training camp on time.
According to the paper, Briggs' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and the Bears have continued to negotiate even after the July 16 deadline for working out long-term contracts with franchise players. After a visit to Halas Hall last month, Rosenhaus said he had made some creative proposals to the team. But due to league rules, the sides can only agree to a one-year deal after the deadline.
The paper reported that one option was paying Briggs up front a large portion of the $7.2 million one-year contract the team tendered -- that would serve as a smaller signing bonus.
The Bears also have reportedly offered to rescind the franchise tag on Briggs for 2008 if he agrees to end the contract stalemate.
Reached by the newspaper on Tuesday night, Briggs declined to comment. But a teammate told the paper that Briggs had decided to sign and avoid a holdout.
Rosenhaus did not respond to inquiries by The Tribune.
COMMENTARY: I've said it before that I believe Lance Briggs will be in uniform Week One in San Diego and if Jerry and company make this happen, the Bears should enter the 2007 season as the prohibitive favorite to reach the Super Bowl from the NFC. Feels like momentum has shifted in the right direction the last few weeks, doesn't it?
#2 jdawg said . . .FIRST AGAIN!
Yeah baby, we need to have a solid D to win. I hope this gets inked today!
--Midway--
July 25, 2007
#3 Pissed Off said . . .I'm responding to the Peanut post.
You forgot to mention the Chewbacca prank!
July 25, 2007
#4 Phil from SATX said . . .As I've said I love Peanut more than Vasher, he's a better corner in my mind. Super happy he's signed.
Regarding Briggs I still dont care if he signs, I still think we'd be fine without him but will I sweep all his shit under the rug if he lets bygones be bygones and comes to camp with his head on right and forgets all the bullshit and is dedicated to being a Bear for the rest of his career? Hell YES. I'm still rubbed a little raw by his bullshit (or maybe its mostly Rosenhaus') but I'll let it go. If a teammate said he signed, he must have, right? I want to see the details and length of this thing if its done.
July 25, 2007
#5 JB said . . .Fellow fans, what an avalanche of great news! Jeff, I started reading your Peanut post without reading the instructions (typical for me) and I was like WTF is he talking about? He hates Peanut? Then I realized what your post was, and got it - I used to hate Peanut too, especially after the playoff loss to Carolina that I hung on him (perhaps unfairly). I believe that the double signing of Vash-Pnut was more important than signing Briggs - and now we'll get Briggs too at full strength and un-disgruntled?
Totally agree with the comment about the BT - these f-ers are in a zone! We need to get our asses crowned, tonight! It's all happening!
GO BEARS! LONG LIVE PEANUT! BRIGGS WE FORGIVE YOU!
p.s. PO'd - I thought I'd check for you - Bismarck ND 58501 - STILL NO LOCAL CHANNELS FOR DIRECTV - 94% of the country covered, you're in the 6%. But sounds like you got it covered.
Al - Congratulations man, you're a 12 year man like me - I know that means a couple of years ago they sent you some stuff to let you know your a "preferred customer" with a special phone number and stuff - right? Doesn't DirecTV kick all kinds of ass?
July 25, 2007
#6 beardown1982 said . . .Loved the Peanut post...I think we've all had these 180's on players...or as the case is here, two 180's. I think he was playing hurt when he had those bad games, because he was awful for awhile. But now, I love our corners...and if Mike Brown can stay healthy, I love our entire secondary with AA and the other Manning brothers.
Briggs...if I'm being objective it would be good to have him here this year if only to bury the hatchet, get one pro bowl year out of him, have the youngens learn behind him, and send him on his way. If I listen to my grudge bearing impractical side; Fuck Lance, we don't need nobody who doesn't want to be here. What's with this sudden about face...pussy. I hate this guy. (So in the end, I'll forgive him by the 2nd quarter of the chargers game when he stops LT on a 3rd and 2 and forces a punt...)
July 25, 2007
#7 Hester 4 President said . . .Great news...I am glad that Briggs and agent asshole were the ones who flinched first as well. Maybe this will make it easier for the Bears to get a contract extension for Tommie Harris too, since he has the same agent.
Karma may be turning around a bit...knock on wood!July 25, 2007
#8 Pissed off said . . .Sweet, I hope this is true.
Anyone think we'll sign Berrian before the end of camp?
July 25, 2007
#9 The Straw said . . .I know you love Berrian but with some of these other guys kicking ass (rash, bradley) I think the Bears will take a look at him one more year before signing him long term. Plus with the addition of Hester on offense he might be the new burner. Make no mistake though, we need Berrian on this team this year.
July 25, 2007
#10 Max said . . .Lance Briggs coming back is a big deal. He needs to have another big season in order to cash in via free agency next offseason, which will be a very good thing for the Bears in 2007. Lets milk the sap for all he's worth.
Prediction...The Bears cut Mike Brown within the next few weeks. Which will make me very sad. I'm not sold on Adam Archueleta AT ALL, but I think Brown's days in a Bear uniform are over for economic reasons. Somebody is going to pick up a very fine safety and leader.
July 25, 2007
#11 Pissed off said . . .Man, this is a weird feeling. Everything is sorta going right for us. . . I am just going to take a moment and enjoy this feeling
July 25, 2007
#12 The Straw said . . .Hey crotch, is your notion that Brown will be cut coming from any sources or is this just another hairbrained prediction with absolutely no basis for anything resembling a fact?
That kinda came out of nowhere but MB is a good player and leader, he's just hurt too much and I probably wouldnt be that sad if he is gone. He'd be an every year pro bowler and potential Hall of Fame guy if he was healthy every year. We went to the super bowl without him with a couple of other real good safetys and now we can add AA into that mix and its better. Even though AA hasnt played here I saw what we had last year without MB and it can only get better with the addition of AA and another year of experience for the young guys back there. Bottom line, I love the guy....only when he's on the field though. Otherwise good riddance.
July 25, 2007
#13 DTB said . . .Well, the Bears do have concerns like any other good football team.
1. Is Rex Grossman serviceable, or does he suck and close to using up his allotment of fan goodwill and tolerance in this city?
2. Can a rapidly aging offensive line hold up for one more season?
3. Will Tommie Harris come all the way back? He is the single most important player on the Bear defense.
4. Is Cedric Benson up to the task and can he be the Larry Johnson type running back Rex Grossman and the offense need to be successful?
5. Can Bernard Berrian and Mark Bradley form a credible 1-2 punch at receiver?
6. Can Adam Archueleta be serviceable enough?
7. Who replaces Mike Brown's leadership when he gets invariably cut this summer?
8. Are the Bears too thin at defensive tackle, even assuming Tommie Harris is once again healthy and effective?
9. Will the Bears largely escape the injury bug like they did in 2006? A key injury or two and this team is a .500 football team.
10. Will Greg Olson contribute much in his rookie season? If not, can Desmond Clark step up his game and provide Grossman with a desperately needed tight end option?July 25, 2007
#14 Pissed off said . . .1- Servicable? 15 wins, period.
2- Not old experienced
3- Ready for camp.
4- You dont need LJ to be successful you need 1200 yards, period.
5- Moose?
6- AA servicable, there was a reason we got into a bidding war for him a year ago at this time.
7- Cut? He's making like 3 mil. give me a break.
8- Getting one guy to step up out of 4 isn't that hard. To be honest whoever plays next to Tommie is a better player than we assume them to be.
9- Cant worry about that.
10- Des did it a year ago with no problem.I'd bet the team has less than ten concerns about themselves. Stop wringing your hands, its going to be alright. Bears fans dont worry, they support! Bear Down.
July 25, 2007
#15 big rob said . . .Im not worried, Im very pumped especially now that Nut is signed and if we close the deal with Briggs...happy day.
Straw is just trying to bring us down. He's negative all the time. Well my friend you're not going to upset me today or any day. I've fallen for your silly tricks and it wont happen again. You can do the "what if" scenario for any team and 95% of them will have lists twice as long. I made the mistake of replying to your predictions in the past but I cant respond to your negative ass "what ifs" :) (:
July 25, 2007
#16 Hester 4 President said . . .looks like the powers at Halas are rocking, they just got the last pick Bazuin signed.... What great new it would be to find out they got the Briggs deal done too......
July 25, 2007
#17 mikebdot said . . .Yep, they signed Bazuin to a four-year deal. Hopefully later today we'll find out that Briggs has officially signed.
July 25, 2007
#18 Rancid said . . .Straw spelled backwards is "warts".
July 25, 2007
#19 JB said . . .The best thing about a Briggs deal is that he would be again playing in a contract year and therefore should play with everything out there. I've got to say that I am still really hating on the man for all his crap, but I think it's like this really hot girl I dated for a while in college. Man, she was a bitch, and really pissed me off . . . but she was so hot that it was worth it. Everytime she decided to come back I was more than willing to let her. So come on back Lance, as long as you play like you can, I won't hate on you too loud.
July 25, 2007
#20 JB said . . .Mike Brown is a stud. Mike Brown will not "invariably" get cut. What an idiot. Straw/Crotch, if you have such a hatred towards the Bears and their players, you should probably be an Eagles fan...you'd fit in well. This is the time to be positive...you must not be a cubs fan or else you'd know how to be a Chicago fan. Mike Brown is a stud...jesus, what don't you remember about Mike Brown being amazing? He's had bad luck...it's not like he keeps pulling hamstrings...did you see that play last year, it was freak...but I suppose you didn't see it, you don't talk like the type of Bears fan who actually watches games.
Okay, that over, I'm with PO'd...nothing gonna get me down this close to camp.
July 25, 2007
#21 The Straw said . . .HAHAHA RANCID!!!!
Yessir...perfect analogy.
Well done.
July 25, 2007
#22 Pissed Off said . . .Well, chances are strong that Mike Brown IS cut in training camp. The Bears are not in an economic position to pay $3 million for a player with his exceptional injury history. The acquisition of Adam Archuelta meant the handwriting was on the wall for Brown. Do I want to see Brown leave? Hell no. I love the guy. But rest assured, he won't make the final roster. Not unless the Bears suffer a key injury or two to the secondary during training camp.
I'm not going to get into a pissing argument with a few of you drool monkeys and doorknobs. I take an objective view of my Chicago Bears. I've passionately followed this team since 1978 and my perspective and opinions are just as qualified as the next guys. The Bears ARE a good football team. But they are not without a handful of SIGNIFICANT question marks, the most notable being Rex Grossman at QB. I make no apologies for having minimal faith in Grossman to stay healthy AND be reasonably effective. He isn't a championshp caliber QB. Never will be. Blind support for the young man within Halas Hall is going to bite this team in the ass.
July 25, 2007
#23 Hester 4 President said . . .Crotch all of your points and opinions are irrelevant. And I have this to say to you, in the words of the Principal from "Billy Madison" :
What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
Hey Rancid, in my hot girl analogy, the one I dated in high school, same situation but she was overwhelmingly annoying I still gave her the boot.
July 25, 2007
#24 JB said . . .I guarentee that Brown does not get cut.
July 25, 2007
#25 big rob said . . .Straw, you're pontificating again. You can't speak in absolutes...it makes you look silly. Where have you heard anything about them cutting Brown? You may think it makes sense in your mind, but what I hear is, "Mike Brown will start". Where is your information coming from that differs so much so that he'll be cut? You don't have to defend yourself against us "drool monkeys" but why are you focusing on negatives? This is a Super Bowl team, NFC champions...wait until something breaks before you write it off. This is a new year, it's a blank slate. Again, Grossman has thrown zero interceptions. Brown is healthy. Benson has zero fumbles. A little positive energy is all we're asking for.
July 25, 2007
#26 big rob said . . .ITS OFFICIAL BRIGGS SIGNED HIS 1YR DEAL!!!!!! THINGS ARE COMING AROUND FOR US FELLAS!!!
July 25, 2007
#27 Chi-Town Joe said . . .and ladies too sorry meghan...
July 25, 2007
#28 Chi-Town Joe said . . .It's good to here that we're doing something to keep our D together. And no, he doesn't know if Brown'll get cut, but it's likely we'll keep him out of fear from not having him on our side.
July 26, 2007
#29 Chi-Town Joe said . . .It's nice to hear that we're keeping our D together.
And no, he doesn't know whether or not Brown'll get cut, but it's likely we keep him. I think the coaches are afraid he'll do wonders for another team and spoil alot of chances.July 26, 2007
damn that glitched i didn't think it went through.
July 26, 2007
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