Bears designated LB Lance Briggs as their franchise player

[MrBigglesWorth]

Lance Briggs-LB- Bears Feb. 16 - 5:16 pm et


The Bears designated LB Lance Briggs as their franchise player Friday, guaranteeing him $7.2 million for 2007.

Briggs is still free to sign an offer sheet with another team, but Chicago can match the offer or decide to take two first-round picks in return for letting him go.
Source: ChicagoBears.com

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=3079

 

[patsox23]

Adalius Thomas's price just went up even higher - unless Baltimore franchises him. Wonder if this means any of the other Bears' LBs (not named Urlacher) will be cut loose.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Adalius Thomas's price just went up even higher - unless Baltimore franchises him. Wonder if this means any of the other Bears' LBs (not named Urlacher) will be cut loose.

yeah Adalius should send him some flowers thanking him

 

[DaBruinz]

This doesn't make any sense? Why would Adalius Thomas be thanking Briggs? Thomas hits the 30 year mark prior the start of the year. Briggs will be 27 half way through the season.

Thomas is a damn good LB, but he is slightly worse than Briggs.

Also, Thomas should be thanking the BEARS, not Briggs.

 

[broadwayjoe]

Good move by the Bears I guess Lovie Smith will be next.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

This doesn't make any sense? Why would Adalius Thomas be thanking Briggs? Thomas hits the 30 year mark prior the start of the year. Briggs will be 27 half way through the season.

Thomas is a damn good LB, but he is slightly worse than Briggs.

Also, Thomas should be thanking the BEARS, not Briggs.

Lance still needs to sign the tender. Semantics on who to thank. Regardless, Adalius stands to be very rich.

 

[DaBruinz]

Lance still needs to sign the tender. Semantics on who to thank. Regardless, Adalius stands to be very rich.

They are all very rich. However, I think you are wrong in that I don't believe that Thomas is going to get as rich a contract as Briggs. Everyone figured that Thomas would get a contract in the $6 mill range. I don't believe that's changed.

 

[smg93]

They are all very rich. However, I think you are wrong in that I don't believe that Thomas is going to get as rich a contract as Briggs. Everyone figured that Thomas would get a contract in the $6 mill range. I don't believe that's changed.

The point is that since it just got more expensive to sign Briggs because another team would have to agree on compensation with the bears, the market for LB's just got thinner. Because it has, then Adalius Thomas' chances of landing either a big FA contract or guaranteed money for being a franchised player has become that much more certain.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I wouldn't be suprised if Adalius Thomas gets tagged. If the Ravens cut J Lewis and Ogden retires they may have just enough to do so.

It would be a shame to overpay for Edwards or Fletcher.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

They are all very rich. However, I think you are wrong in that I don't believe that Thomas is going to get as rich a contract as Briggs. Everyone figured that Thomas would get a contract in the $6 mill range. I don't believe that's changed.

Oh Contraire,

I have no idea where you got that from. I am insinuating now that Lance Briggs is franchised the supply and demand has gone in the favor of Thomas. There is one less LB out there and Thomas probably stands to get richer than Briggs because of the access to the bidding market.