OFF-SEASON REPORT: Bears, Briggs, bucks and blockers
OUR STORY SO FAR: With the team's heavy 2008 off-season agenda well in Jerry Angelo's mind, the Bears sat out 2007's early, big-bucks free agency period. Angelo then made three budget-wise moves, acquiring discounted safety Adam Archeleta from Washington for a 6th rounder, re-signing veteran LG Reuben Brown and adding free agent DT Anthony Adams. Meanwhile, the franchising of WLB Lance Briggs turned into a Midway freak show, with Briggs and his agent threatening all manner of retribution on the team and -- eventually -- brokering a significant offer from the Redskins for the disgruntled Pro Bowler. And in the background, two quiet stirrings about significant changes on the horizon: Whispers about Devin Hester on offense and Danieal Manning at corner...
WHY DOES 2008 MATTER? Because several key Bears will have to be signed to extensions before the end of the 2007 season. Decisions are due on Rex Grossman, Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher, and there are other players (Tommie Harris and Bernard Berrian come to mind) who probably should get long-term offers sooner rather than later.
WHY THEY FRANCHISED BRIGGS: Briggs is a better-than-good player who came up big in some key situations (remember that 4th-down stop in the 4th quarter against the Seahawks?), but he may not be the great player he considers himself to be. Is he one of the league's top five linebackers? Nope, and the Bears know it. And here's the other thing: Beyond the salary cap issues of giving Briggs more than $33 million (with something like $16 million guaranteed) over seven years, there's the Urlacher Factor. Chicago's best linebacker isn't even in the Top 5 when it comes to linebacker salaries. He's No. 8. Does anybody out there think it makes much sense to pay another Bears linebacker more than Urlacher gets?
WHAT DO THE BEARS NEED IN 2007? Acquiring Archeleta and Adams -- a 4-3 tackle who was useless in the 49ers' 3-4 system -- took two of the team's injury issues out of the "Screaming Need" category. Chicago let a lot of quality backup talent leave their safety and defensive tackle ranks this off-season, and with question marks surrounding starters Mike Brown, Tommie Harris and Tank Johnson, they needed some veteran bodies.
Beyond that, Angelo needs to shore up an aging offensive line and find starter-quality contributors for the linebacking corps. Chicago needs depth at safety, depth at running back, and apparently a never-ending supply of defensive tackles who can collapse the pocket in Smith's signature defensive alignment.
WHY THE BEARS SHOULD DEAL BRIGGS TO THE REDSKINS: This isn't about ego, or who "wins" in the off-season. Chicago turned college-underachiver Briggs into an NFL star and now for various reasons can't realistically afford to pay the inflated market value to secure his services long-term. With the over-eager Redskins ready to over-pay for him, Angelo is in a position to get value out of the linebacker instead of merely a Pyhrric victory.
But Washington's initial offer -- while serious -- doesn't really serve the Bears' interests. With nothing in the cupboard to replace Briggs and no great linebacker options in either free agency or the top of the draft, Angelo would almost be forced to trade down from Washington's No. 6 slot and use a high pick on someone who could challenge the team's current backups for Briggs' spot.
Given the "value" assigned to picks (No. 6 = 1,600 points; No. 31 = 600), the difference in the swap equals the 16th pick in the draft. Not bad, but not quite what you'd expect for a three-time Pro Bowler in the prime of his career. So how do you even this deal out?
As Pat Kirwan wisely surmised, the solution is for Washington to include the player who would move to the bench to make room for Briggs: 6th year pro Lemar Marshall, an underrated player who notched 202 tackles in the past two seasons.
Everybody wins. Marshall becomes the Bears' new WLB. Washington gets his salary off their books and solves a potential lockerroom problem. And most importantly, Chicago gets to do what you want to do with the No. 6 pick overall: Draft a player who immediately improves your team.
WHAT TO DO WITH THE NO. 6 PICK: Drafting a player who improves your team right away isn't the same thing as drafting the best player available. In Chicago's case, that means going after a player with the ability to start in Week 1 and lock down a position for the better part of a decade. My nomination is Levi Brown, a 6-4, 328-pound left tackle from Penn State.
Brown isn't the best left tackle prospect this year (Joe Thomas, a consensus Top 5 pick, is), but most experts have him off the board in the Top 10. He had a down 2006 because of a knee injury, but it was a meniscus tear, not an ACL. If anything the guy is a value at the top of this draft, with analysts describing him as a future Pro Bowler.
Since Brown isn't generally considered a Top 6 pick, the Bears could be in position to trade down a spot or two if a team wants to move up and get QB Brady Quinn.
Acquiring a player like Brown would give Chicago the opportunity to improve two positions. Put Brown at his natural left tackle position and move Big John Tait to his natural position on the right.
Remember: The Bears want to be a run-first team, and for all their craftiness as pass blockers, Chicago's O-line was weak when it came to mauling other teams in straight-ahead short yardage. Their best short-yardage play in 2006? Pulling Reuben Brown to the right. Everybody knew it, and that's not good.
The question I have is, if Joe Thomas is there at No. 5, should Chicago attempt to move up and get him?
WHAT ELSE SHOULD CHICAGO DO? Well, for starters, Roberto Garza has been a disappointment at right guard, and backup Terrance Metcalf has been unable to step up and claim the position. Chicago picks again at No. 37 (thanks to the Thomas Jones trade), and if one of the Top 3 guards is still on the board (quite possible), I'd rather see the Bears pick one of them than chase the uninspiring linebackers who are expected to be hanging around early in the second.
Draft a linebacker or two, but do it later. And make sure to look for a game-changing "third-down back" on Day 2. Someone, like, say... Garrett Wolfe of Northern Illinois.
WHAT ABOUT QUARTERBACK? Oh, shut-up already. Quarterback is the one position where we're actual stable, healthy and deep, with a great mixture of proven ability and potential.
WHY DOES 2008 MATTER? Because several key Bears will have to be signed to extensions before the end of the 2007 season. Decisions are due on Rex Grossman, Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher, and there are other players (Tommie Harris and Bernard Berrian come to mind) who probably should get long-term offers sooner rather than later.
WHY THEY FRANCHISED BRIGGS: Briggs is a better-than-good player who came up big in some key situations (remember that 4th-down stop in the 4th quarter against the Seahawks?), but he may not be the great player he considers himself to be. Is he one of the league's top five linebackers? Nope, and the Bears know it. And here's the other thing: Beyond the salary cap issues of giving Briggs more than $33 million (with something like $16 million guaranteed) over seven years, there's the Urlacher Factor. Chicago's best linebacker isn't even in the Top 5 when it comes to linebacker salaries. He's No. 8. Does anybody out there think it makes much sense to pay another Bears linebacker more than Urlacher gets?
WHAT DO THE BEARS NEED IN 2007? Acquiring Archeleta and Adams -- a 4-3 tackle who was useless in the 49ers' 3-4 system -- took two of the team's injury issues out of the "Screaming Need" category. Chicago let a lot of quality backup talent leave their safety and defensive tackle ranks this off-season, and with question marks surrounding starters Mike Brown, Tommie Harris and Tank Johnson, they needed some veteran bodies.
Beyond that, Angelo needs to shore up an aging offensive line and find starter-quality contributors for the linebacking corps. Chicago needs depth at safety, depth at running back, and apparently a never-ending supply of defensive tackles who can collapse the pocket in Smith's signature defensive alignment.
WHY THE BEARS SHOULD DEAL BRIGGS TO THE REDSKINS: This isn't about ego, or who "wins" in the off-season. Chicago turned college-underachiver Briggs into an NFL star and now for various reasons can't realistically afford to pay the inflated market value to secure his services long-term. With the over-eager Redskins ready to over-pay for him, Angelo is in a position to get value out of the linebacker instead of merely a Pyhrric victory.
But Washington's initial offer -- while serious -- doesn't really serve the Bears' interests. With nothing in the cupboard to replace Briggs and no great linebacker options in either free agency or the top of the draft, Angelo would almost be forced to trade down from Washington's No. 6 slot and use a high pick on someone who could challenge the team's current backups for Briggs' spot.
Given the "value" assigned to picks (No. 6 = 1,600 points; No. 31 = 600), the difference in the swap equals the 16th pick in the draft. Not bad, but not quite what you'd expect for a three-time Pro Bowler in the prime of his career. So how do you even this deal out?
As Pat Kirwan wisely surmised, the solution is for Washington to include the player who would move to the bench to make room for Briggs: 6th year pro Lemar Marshall, an underrated player who notched 202 tackles in the past two seasons.
Everybody wins. Marshall becomes the Bears' new WLB. Washington gets his salary off their books and solves a potential lockerroom problem. And most importantly, Chicago gets to do what you want to do with the No. 6 pick overall: Draft a player who immediately improves your team.
WHAT TO DO WITH THE NO. 6 PICK: Drafting a player who improves your team right away isn't the same thing as drafting the best player available. In Chicago's case, that means going after a player with the ability to start in Week 1 and lock down a position for the better part of a decade. My nomination is Levi Brown, a 6-4, 328-pound left tackle from Penn State.
Brown isn't the best left tackle prospect this year (Joe Thomas, a consensus Top 5 pick, is), but most experts have him off the board in the Top 10. He had a down 2006 because of a knee injury, but it was a meniscus tear, not an ACL. If anything the guy is a value at the top of this draft, with analysts describing him as a future Pro Bowler.
Since Brown isn't generally considered a Top 6 pick, the Bears could be in position to trade down a spot or two if a team wants to move up and get QB Brady Quinn.
Acquiring a player like Brown would give Chicago the opportunity to improve two positions. Put Brown at his natural left tackle position and move Big John Tait to his natural position on the right.
Remember: The Bears want to be a run-first team, and for all their craftiness as pass blockers, Chicago's O-line was weak when it came to mauling other teams in straight-ahead short yardage. Their best short-yardage play in 2006? Pulling Reuben Brown to the right. Everybody knew it, and that's not good.
The question I have is, if Joe Thomas is there at No. 5, should Chicago attempt to move up and get him?
WHAT ELSE SHOULD CHICAGO DO? Well, for starters, Roberto Garza has been a disappointment at right guard, and backup Terrance Metcalf has been unable to step up and claim the position. Chicago picks again at No. 37 (thanks to the Thomas Jones trade), and if one of the Top 3 guards is still on the board (quite possible), I'd rather see the Bears pick one of them than chase the uninspiring linebackers who are expected to be hanging around early in the second.
Draft a linebacker or two, but do it later. And make sure to look for a game-changing "third-down back" on Day 2. Someone, like, say... Garrett Wolfe of Northern Illinois.
WHAT ABOUT QUARTERBACK? Oh, shut-up already. Quarterback is the one position where we're actual stable, healthy and deep, with a great mixture of proven ability and potential.
Labels: Bears, Lance Briggs, NFL Draft
posted by Daniel at 5:41 AM
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