Posted on: March 2, 2008 1:06 pm
Angelo makes save with Briggs re-signing
Let's hear it for Jerry Angelo. One day after losing Bernard Berrian to the Minnesota Vikings he re-signed linebacker Lance Briggs. This was the same Lance Briggs who a year ago demanded to be traded after the Bears franchised him. The pressure was on Angelo then to do something with the guy, and he did what he should've done -- which was nothing. He told Briggs that if he showed up for camp and played he would not franchise him in 2008. And he did not. So Briggs played. Now he stays. In all fairness there wasn't the market for Briggs that he envisioned. The clubs expected to step up for him, like San Francisco and Washington, never materialized, and Briggs was left with few options. Nevertheless, it's a credit to Angelo that he was able to re-sign him. A year ago there were critics calling for the Bears' GM to get something for Briggs while he could, and he failed to respond. In fact, there was a trade offer out there from Washington that he wisely refused to take. So he keeps one of the stalwarts of a defense that must be the backbone to this team if and when it returns to the top of the NFC North, and that is good, Chicago fans. The contract is fair to Briggs -- with $13 million guaranteed and $21.6 million over the first three years -- and is in line with what he was making as the team's franchise player a year ago, so it's not as if Briggs settled for leftovers. He got a good deal, and the Bears kept a valued performer.
Category: NFL
Posted on: March 1, 2008 8:22 pm
Berrian a good, not a great, get for Vikes
OK, so Bernard Berrian is an upgrade for the Minnesota Vikings at a position of need. You might be, too, considering what they have on the outside, which is Sidney Rice, Bobby Wade and a lot of inexperience. Next to Randy Moss, Berrian was the best free-agent wide receiver, so the Vikings went for extra bases with this swing. But it's not a home run, and I'll tell you why: A coach I know who plays against Berrian and who studied him closely prior to free agency said he wasn't all that impressed with his deep speed, that Berrian could beat defenders with a double move but not with raw speed and that his hands were questionable. There is no question Minnesota helped itself with this move, but I'd be careful about reading too much into it. The Bears exposed him to the open market for a reason. They didn't want to pay a fairly decent receiver big money, so they let Minnesota do it. Fair enough. I hope Berrian knows what he's getting into. Bad enough he had to try to catch balls from Rex Grossman; wait 'til he gets a load of Tarvaris Jackson.
Category: NFL
Posted on: March 1, 2008 11:11 am
Edited on: March 1, 2008 11:12 am
Earth to Niners, earth to Niners
In the worst kept secret this offseason the 49ers add Justin Smith, a move that was expected for weeks. Smith is productive, and he is durable. So signing him is a smart move, right? Not so fast. The 49ers play a 3-4 defense; Smith is a 4-3 defensive end who doesn't translate all that well to the 3-4. He said he can play outside linebacker in the Niners' defense, but, really, do you buy Justin Smith to play him out of position? This is another one I don't get by San Francisco. It's not that I don't like Smith; it's that I don't like him in a defense other than the 4-3. He's a defensive end, not a linebacker.
Category: NFL
Posted on: February 29, 2008 9:25 pm
Strike three! Chiefs are out
Poor Kansas City. Earlier today I told you the Chiefs might lose out on kicker Josh Brown, an unrestricted free agent from Seattle. Well, he never got out of St. Louis, which was what Kansas City feared. With the retirement of Jeff Wilkins, Brown became a perfect fit. The Chiefs wanted him because they gained absolutely nothing from their kickers last year, and if you don't believe me look it up. They produced 78 points last season. By contrast, New England's Steve Gostkowski had 137. Losing out on Brown made it a clean sweep Friday for the Chiefs. They were interested in center Jeff Faine and tight end John Gilmore, but both signed with Tampa Bay.
Category: NFL
Posted on: February 29, 2008 9:16 pm