Harris is more valuable, IMdO. The DL is where it all begins and Harris is a Pro Bowler.

Harris is also injury prone.

Harris is also injury prone.

 

WTF!? One injury last year and now he's injury prone?

Ill tell you one thing. Id much have them use the money on Briggs and Harris then on Berrian

Ill tell you one thing. Id much have them use the money on Briggs and Harris then on Berrian

 

I like Berrian, but he shouldn't receive #1 WR money.

Ill tell you one thing. Id much have them use the money on Briggs and Harris then on Berrian

I would say the money priority should be Harris, Briggs, then Berrian.

If I KNEW the team was gonna use the money they saved on Briggs somewhere else where it was needed I wouldnt think letting him go would be that big of a deal but with the cap boost I dont think his salary would push us over the cap when its all said and done. However, if this thread is trying to say we wont miss him because of Jamar Williams and the play of our defense for one game in what Favre called the worst playing conditions hes ever been in, then thats laughable.

The cap boost isn't really that big. The cap is going from roughly $109 to $116 million. That's only about a 5% increase.

 

I think we can count on Briggs being gone. I'm not saying that he won't be missed, but this is what good teams do. They let their own guys that get overpriced in free agency go, and take the compensatory pick the following year and keep building. I can't see us not getting a 3rd rounder in the 2009 draft.

Let's say: if we could use the money required to lock up Briggs and obtain 2 high quality players in positions of need for the Bears (OL, WR, S, QB, ??) would we be better off rolling the dice and go with Williams at LB and fill two major needs or giving BIG $$$ to Briggs and leave holes unfilled? In addition, if letting Briggs go would somehow result in a high draft selection or quality player in return, it would just sweeten the pot even more.

 

As much as I love Briggs, I feel we would be better off letting him go.

The cap boost isn't really that big. The cap is going from roughly $109 to $116 million. That's only about a 5% increase.

 

I think we can count on Briggs being gone. I'm not saying that he won't be missed, but this is what good teams do. They let their own guys that get overpriced in free agency go, and take the compensatory pick the following year and keep building. I can't see us not getting a 3rd rounder in the 2009 draft.

An extra 7 million is a big jump. Thats what Briggs is making this year under the tag. It would be less than that over the life of a contract.

An extra 7 million is a big jump. Thats what Briggs is making this year under the tag. It would be less than that over the life of a contract.

 

And how would that relate to the rest of the team? Where would you have us scrimp in the future? Say we sign Briggs and Faneca. Boom! We've blown our wad. What then? Do we just promote Orton, Hass, and keep St. Claire at RT for the rest of the offense for next year?

 

I seriously think you're looking at the cap increase and not realizing that the FA numbers will increase too. Briggs will get a contract somewhere in the 7 year $65 million area with $25-30 million guaranteed. The Bears would be STOOPID to pay anything close to that. That's why you guys need to get over it and start waving goodbye to Lance.

 

I like Briggs. To put a letter grade on him, I'd give him an A- (minus due to attitude this year). However, I would give Jamar Williams a C+ with the potential of getting in a groove as a starter and quickly becoming a solid B+.

 

So, do you pay $65 million over 7 years for an A- guy that may keep C- guys on the Oline, or do you let him go, get a compensatory pick for him, and pick up some A-B quality guys for the positions on the team where there is currently NOBODY nearly as talented?

And how would that relate to the rest of the team? Where would you have us scrimp in the future? Say we sign Briggs and Faneca. Boom! We've blown our wad. What then? Do we just promote Orton, Hass, and keep St. Claire at RT for the rest of the offense for next year?

 

I seriously think you're looking at the cap increase and not realizing that the FA numbers will increase too. Briggs will get a contract somewhere in the 7 year $65 million area with $25-30 million guaranteed. The Bears would be STOOPID to pay anything close to that. That's why you guys need to get over it and start waving goodbye to Lance.

 

I like Briggs. To put a letter grade on him, I'd give him an A- (minus due to attitude this year). However, I would give Jamar Williams a C+ with the potential of getting in a groove as a starter and quickly becoming a solid B+.

 

So, do you pay $65 million over 7 years for an A- guy that may keep C- guys on the Oline, or do you let him go, get a compensatory pick for him, and pick up some A-B quality guys for the positions on the team where there is currently NOBODY nearly as talented?

I said I wouldnt mind letting him walk if we used the money saved on him on other players but if they arent gonna use the whole cap I would like to resign him. However, I would rather sign him than Berrian.

I said I wouldnt mind letting him walk if we used the money saved on him on other players but if they arent gonna use the whole cap I would like to resign him. However, I would rather sign him than Berrian.

 

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "using the whole cap", but we've been pretty much up AT the cap since Angelo arrived. I'm not sure why you would put that qualification in there.

 

Alot of it comes down to timing and total packages. For instance, we could easliy sign Berrian and Grossman to an incentive laden contract and STILL have lots left over when compared to just signing Briggs. I would project right now that Briggs signs for double what Berrian does.

 

The timing part of it is that we can sign our own guys BEFORE free agency starts and Briggs won't sign early. If we wait to see if we can sign Faneca, Briggs will have likely already signed elsewhere. Berrian could decide to sign early to a reasonable deal, but if that offer is made, you either take it or not. It's kinda like first come first serve and Briggs will be LAST in line because he'll want maximum money.

 

Hoping to sign Briggs is a pipedream. Hey, if we're gonna start posting pipedreams, why don't we just trade our entire offense and a couple of draft picks for the Patriots entire offense and offensive coaching staff? I mean het! If you're gonna dream, you might as well dream BIG!!!

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "using the whole cap", but we've been pretty much up AT the cap since Angelo arrived. I'm not sure why you would put that qualification in there.

 

Alot of it comes down to timing and total packages. For instance, we could easliy sign Berrian and Grossman to an incentive laden contract and STILL have lots left over when compared to just signing Briggs. I would project right now that Briggs signs for double what Berrian does.

 

The timing part of it is that we can sign our own guys BEFORE free agency starts and Briggs won't sign early. If we wait to see if we can sign Faneca, Briggs will have likely already signed elsewhere. Berrian could decide to sign early to a reasonable deal, but if that offer is made, you either take it or not. It's kinda like first come first serve and Briggs will be LAST in line because he'll want maximum money.

 

Hoping to sign Briggs is a pipedream. Hey, if we're gonna start posting pipedreams, why don't we just trade our entire offense and a couple of draft picks for the Patriots entire offense and offensive coaching staff? I mean het! If you're gonna dream, you might as well dream BIG!!!

You went a little overboard considering you asked me where I would want to get the extra money for Briggs and the first player that popped in my head was Berrian. That doesnt mean he is going to get what Briggs is gonna get, it just means that its a corner to cut to make a Briggs deal more feasible.

 

Again, Ill go back to the point of this thread, which is implying we wont miss Briggs because of Jamar Williams which is what I dont agree with.

Again, Ill go back to the point of this thread, which is implying we wont miss Briggs because of Jamar Williams which is what I dont agree with.

 

I don't think Williams is anywhere near Briggs, and I think Briggs will be missed a lot. But I agree that if we spend his money for help on O we should let him walk. I can handle losing Briggs if it means Faneca, Starks, any other warm body with an OT/OG next to his position tag...

I don't think Williams is anywhere near Briggs, and I think Briggs will be missed a lot. But I agree that if we spend his money for help on O we should let him walk. I can handle losing Briggs if it means Faneca, Starks, any other warm body with an OT/OG next to his position tag...

I completely agree.