NFL Free Agency

[-Jrabbit]

Not true! This is exactly the type of misperception that Rosenhaus plays to his advantage in the media.

1. Remember that, to do this, Briggs has to sign off on the franchise tag contract. That means he is subject to fines and discipline like any other player under contract.

2. Briggs would be paid only for games he makes himself available for. According to Agent Drew's Master Plan, that's 6/17 of his $7.2MM contract ($2.54MM), minus whatever fines the Bears hit him with for all the time missed.

3. The Bears do NOT give up their franchise tag rights for 2008 in this situation. Briggs would still have to wait until 2009 to be a free agent.

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by H Tower
what happens when Briggs sits for 10 games, and then shows up for the last 6? He gets paid his 7 mil, and becomes a free agent after the season.

Indeed, the point of playing 6 games is that if he doesn't, the Bears apparently get the right to franchise him TWO more years (2008,2009), if what NFL Live said this afternoon was accurate.

[Lord Avalon]

Replay now permanent in NFL
Owners also vote on interviews, defensive headsets

PHOENIX (AP) -- Replay is here to stay in the NFL.

Or at least as permanently as any rule can be in pro football.

League owners voted 30-2 on Tuesday to make the video replay system a permanent officiating tool. All but three stadiums will be equipped with high-definition equipment and will be recabled before the upcoming season, at a cost of as much as $300,000 per club. The stadiums being replaced in Irving, Texas, Indianapolis and East Rutherford, N.J., will not get the updates.

"It's a long time coming," said Atlanta Falcons general manager Rich McKay, co-chairman of the competition committee that recommended the change. "It made sense to us this year to do it. Instant replay is an accepted part of the game. It's what we are. There was not really much discussion about it."

Cincinnati and Arizona voted against the proposal, as they nearly always do on replay issues.

The owners also voted unanimously to allow a second interviewing window for assistant coaches on Super Bowl teams who are in the running for other head coaching jobs. Previously, only during the week after the season ended could an interview be conducted.

The coach's current team would have to grant permission for the second interview, which would take place during the bye week after the conference title games.

"We wanted to make sure that coaches on Super Bowl teams didn't feel it was a disadvantage," McKay said.

One proposal was defeated. Defenses will not be allowed to have a coach-to-player communications device similar to what quarterbacks use. McKay said owners and coaches were concerned about who would be allowed to wear the device with defenses using multiple formations, and the possibility that more than one player could wind up on the field with such a device.

"Conceivably, we'll bring it up again," McKay said. "We haven't see its last discussion."

San Francisco withdrew its proposal to make defensive pass interference either a 15-yard penalty or a spot foul, depending on the severity of the infraction.

McKay was not optimistic that the recommendation to move the kickoff for overtime from the 30-yard line to the 35 would pass Wednesday. He said some people were concerned about the effect on the return game, and that a group of owners would favor a mandatory two-possession overtime in which each team gets the ball once.

That has not been proposed, however. Nor has any system similar to the college overtimes, or a continuation of the game from where it ended after four quarters.

"I'm bothered by the stats with respect to overtime," McKay said, citing a significant spike since 1997 in how many teams won overtime games after also winning the coin toss. That percentage went from 55.9 from 1994-97 to 64.6 for the next four seasons. And after it dropped to 60 percent for 2002-05, it went up to 63.6 last season.

"We're a league that tries to balance the field and clearly the field is not balanced with respect to overtime with the kickoff."

The owners also will vote on Tampa Bay's proposal to use instant replay for all penalties except holding; increasing the number of players suited up for games from 45 to 47; and instituting 5-yard penalties for players who spike the ball on the field of play. Spikes in the end zone after scores would be allowed.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/03/27/bc.fbn.nflmeetings.ap/index.html

Replay

Hi-def replay

[-Jrabbit]

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

The Redskins have reportedly made a formal contract offer to Lance Briggs that would include $20 million in guaranteed money.
The deal would reportedly pay $7.5 million-per-season, more than the $7.2 million Briggs will get if he signs his one-year franchise tender.

No report on whether RosenBriggs would accept this offer, or whether they just made it up.

For those of us trying to figure out whether the proposed deal is a good one, here's a little breakdown:

Redskins get: Lance Briggs + 31st overall
Bears get: 6th overall pick

According to the widely used point system for evaluating the relative value of draft picks, the #6 overall is worth 1,600 points. The 31st pick is worth 600 points. So that makes Lance Briggs worth 1,000 points -- which is the value of the 16th pick.

[-Jrabbit]

In his article, local scribe Mike Mulligan makes a couple excellent point in evaluating this trade.

full Article

Probably the best argument against the trade is the cost of a #6 overall pick, which will command a $15MM bonus as part of a$25MM-plus deal. And 1st-rounders are basically a 50-50 gamble.

In essence, the Bears would be trading a $7.2MM proven All-Pro for a (nearly) equally expensive, unproven rookie. Oh, and they have to throw in another first-rounder.

I think it's whack. I wouldn't do it.

Beyond the crapshoot nature of rookies in general, even more damning is the fact that there are only 4-5 rookies carrying the "sure thing" label this year. (two QBs, one RB, one WR, one OT). And if you're giving up rights to Briggs, you need a sure thing, and you need it to fit your needs and your scheme. The #6 is just bad enough to be worthless.

If the Redskins want Briggs, they should trade us live bodies, known quantities. Washington has been trying to trade down from #6 for over a month. There's a reason there have been no takers.

The Bears are best served by refusing this deal.

[rah]

Agreed. And hoping that the bears screw Briggs over this. PRICELESS

[Ming]

Ya gotta love how Rosenhaus is trying to make something out of nothing. But that slime bucket doesn't have a leg to stand on. He has no leverage, and he knows it. And nothing is going to change that.

I won't be surprised to see Briggs playing for the Bears this year. If he doesn't, his agent is giving him terrible advice.

Rosenhaus has five other players on the Bears. One could see this as a sleazy way to get more money for his other players on the team. If he can get Briggs traded, that would free up money for when his other players contracts come up.

One has to wonder if he really is looking after Briggs best interests.

[-Jrabbit]

Soap opera continues...

Bears GM Jerry Angelo is expected to approach the Redskins and ask for the No. 6 overall pick in a straight-up exchange for Lance Briggs.

There has also been talk Washington might thrown in last year's second-rounder Rocky McIntosh to sweeten the deal. Either way, the Bears will likely make a decision on the proposed trade at some point next week.
Source: Chicago Sun Times

[Ming]

I hope they tell Washington to stick it. A first round pick this year and next year is the going rate. Pay up or shut up.

[-Jrabbit]

The first round #6 and a starting OLB would be OK.
But yeah, I'd rather they stick it to Drew Incarnate.

With 5 Rosenhaus clients on the roster - including Tommie Harris - the Bears would be foolish to bow down to tactics like this.

[-Jrabbit]

The Bears' annual fan convention is happening this weekend. GM Jerry Angelo had a QA with fans today...

Angelo says multiyear deal for Briggs unlikely

Associated Press
Posted: 2 hours ago

CHICAGO (AP) - The standoff between Lance Briggs and the Chicago Bears took another turn Saturday, when general manager Jerry Angelo said he wants the Pro Bowl linebacker to return next season but a multiyear contract is unlikely.

"I'm not ruling it out 100 percent, but in all probability, that's not likely to happen," Angelo said during the team's fan convention.

Full Story

[-Jrabbit]

The Bears have turned down the deal for Briggs. They want it sweetened. Washington says it's a take-it-or-leave-it proposition.

Should be fun to see what Rosenhaus does next.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6640430?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=5

[SlowwHand]

Redskins need to count Briggs as their 1st round choice this year.

[rah]

Hell, he won't cost that much more money than the 6th pick. And at least he's a proven player.

[Lord Avalon]

Dolphins traded K Olindo Mare to Saints for 6th rd pick.