[CBFF] Briggs

[Senzigx4]

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (AP) -- Lance Briggs hopped on his
bike with a smile on his face, refusing to criticize
the Chicago Bears or his situation. In less than six
months, he's gone from Pro Bowl linebacker to backup. 

Like teammate Thomas Jones, the team's leading rusher
last season, Briggs was demoted off the first unit by
coach Lovie Smith after skipping voluntary workouts
over the offseason. 

With a year left on his contract, Briggs and the Bears
failed to reach agreement on an extension for a
linebacker who made a career-high 170 tackles last
season and has returned three interceptions for
touchdowns in his three-year career. 

His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who also represents Jones
and several other Bears, was at Chicago's training
camp Friday. Approached by reporters, Rosenhaus rolled
up the window of his car and pulled away. 

"My agent stopped by and he's got a couple players on
the team and he just checked on us. It's good," Briggs
said. I'm happy to see him. He's active and he's doing
his job." 

Is Rosenhaus ready to get him a new deal? 

"No, your agent doesn't get you a new contract. You
get it by how you play," Briggs said. 

Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said there were no
prospects right now for a new contract for Briggs.
Negotiations between Angelo and Rosenhaus broke down
this spring. 

"We gave it our very best shot and it didn't work out.
Unfortunate," Angelo said, adding "it's not an issue"
with training camp under way. 

Angelo also wouldn't discuss trade scenarios for
Jones, who's out with a sore hamstring, but added the
Bears would certainly consider anything that would
improve their team. Cedric Benson has moved up to
first team in place of Jones. 

"We're focused on the season right now. I'm focused on
the team. I'm not focused on Lance Briggs. I'm not
focused on Thomas Jones," Angelo said. "I'm not going
to get into personal issues with any player at this
time." 

Briggs ran with the first-team nickel defense during a
steamy practice Friday at Olivet Nazarene University.
But Leon Joe manned his spot on the first-team regular
defense. 

"I'm just happy to see all the guys, all the returning
starters out there," Briggs said. "I love the twos.
But, man, there is nothing like being out there with
the ones." 

Smith said Briggs was being brought around slowly. 

AP - Jul 27, 5:18 pm EDT
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"We worked him in on some of the nickel situations. It
takes a while to work your way all the way back up,"
Smith said. 

"It's been a while since he's really been out here
doing this type of work so we need to bring him along
slowly and we'll do that." 

Briggs said he wasn't told he was being punished for
skipping OTAs (Organized Team Activities) in the
offseason. And he wasn't sure how to view his demotion
after he'd made his first Pro Bowl. He was a
third-round draft pick out of Arizona in 2003. 

"I think in some countries, yeah, it can be viewed as
punishment. Here, I don't know what to call it," he
said. 

"It's Day 2 in camp. Although I have started every
camp up to this year, except my rookie year, it's all
right. It's fine with me. I'm not bitter about it,
let's put it like that."

Notes

Smith said Jones underwent an MRI on his hamstring.
"He has a mild strain," Smith said. "Hopefully he'll
be back fairly soon. But we don't know exactly how
long that will be." ... The Bears announced that DB
Willie Amos has a torn knee ligament and could be
headed to injured reserve. They cut RB Tony Hollings,
a four-year veteran out of Georgia Tech.

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