[CBFF] Interesting blurb from PFT (grain-o-salt needed)

[Phil DeNomme]

Wow, a good article from PFT.

I could see the Briggs stuff getting ugly. 

-----Original Message-----
From: cbff-bounces at chicagobearsfanforum.com
[mailto:cbff-bounces at chicagobearsfanforum.com] On Behalf Of Jerry Madsen
Sent: Friday, July 07, 2006 10:03 AM
To: post at chicagobearsfanforum.com
Subject: [CBFF] Interesting blurb from PFT (grain-o-salt needed)

POSTED 7:08  a.m. EDT, July 5, 2006

THE DAILY BRIGGS AND VASHER  UPDATE

Since there's absolutely nothing  else going on right now in the NFL
-- and given that the entire July 4 holiday  stretch has unfolded with
no new arrests of current or former players -- we're  going back to
the well with the latest information we've obtained regarding
contract squabbles between the Bears and two of their young players
who made it  to the Pro Bowl as a byproduct of the team's success in
2005.

As to linebacker Lance Briggs,  we've learned that the contract he
turned down earlier in the offseason would  have given him the
second-highest spot on the team's pay structure, behind only
linebacker Brian Urlacher.  Previously reported as a package with
$12.5  million guaranteed and a $5.5 million annual average, the deal
would have paid  $18 million over the first three seasons.  But that
offer, as we understand  it, is currently off of the table, and it's
not coming back.

A league source tells us that part  of the concern with Briggs is that
he's not sufficiently self-motivated, and  that if he's not working
out with the team he puts on weight.  Thus, it'll  be interesting to
see whether he shows up for training camp of his contract year  in
good shape.

Another source told us that the  knock on Briggs coming out of
college, and which could still make teams shy away  from him in free
agency, was that he hung with a bad crowd and was "average" as  a
player who made a lot of tackles but played small at times.  Also, a
reader dug up an item indicating that Briggs apparently was in the
thick of the  player-led revolt  against former Arizona coach John
Mackovic, which  could be regarded as a drawback in some NFL cities.

Regarding cornerback Nathan Vasher,  we've gotten positive feedback
from league insiders regarding our Tuesday  analysis of the points
that his agent, Mike Sullivan, made in an e-mail sent to  us on
Monday.  And one source has reminded us that the Bears have not
extended the rookie contract of a player with only two years in the
league.   Brian Urlacher, for example, had three seasons under his
belt before he received  his extension.

Our guess?  If Vasher can  perform in 2006 like he did in 2005, he'll
likely end up in line for a long-term  deal.

Meanwhile, the Bears shouldn't be  penalized for finding in round four
of the 2004 draft a guy who turned into a  Pro Bowler.  As we
explained on Tuesday, guys who get drafted earlier, in  hindsight,
than they should have don't pay back bonus money.  Thus, the  guys who
play well despite getting drafted late should merely focus on
performing until the time comes to get paid.

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