[CBFF] ESPNi: Briggs is better off in Chicago (Keith Kidd)

[Victor Waldron]

Briggs is better off in Chicago
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Anything is possible at this time of year as it pertains to player 
movement and the NFL draft, and as such the Lance Briggs 
<http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6404> situation 
seems to be heating up in Chicago. Trade talks involving the disgruntled 
outside linebacker and a possible move to the Washington Redskins are 
still on the table and lately we've been hearing a lot about Briggs and 
his off-the-field situation, but what kind of player is he on the field? 
What is his impact on the Bears' defense? Let's take a look.

Briggs is overshadowed by Pro Bowl middle linebacker Brian Urlacher but 
has developed into an outstanding football player who finished second on 
the team with 134 total tackles. Briggs is a fast, explosive player who 
is very effective attacking downhill against the run. He has a very good 
knack for timing up blitzes and possesses the kind of closing speed that 
can create problems off zone dogs. Both Briggs and Urlacher play big 
roles in Chicago's attacking scheme.

When evaluating linebackers and projecting them to the NFL level, 
players at the weakside position must excel in space and Briggs 
certainly does that. He is a tremendously versatile, every-down player 
who excels in both regular and sub defensive packages.

Offensive systems are designed to create mismatches on the perimeter 
that can be exploited based on situational down-and-distance, but Briggs 
has the skill set to match up in open space in coverage and negate that 
kind of attack. He can be a physical presence over the tight end, has 
the athleticism to match up in man-to-man coverage and gets great depth 
on his zone drops. On top of all that, he is very physical against the 
run and a good open-field tackler.

The Bears finished last season as the fifth-best defensive unit in the 
NFL and created a league-leading 44 takeaways, and thanks to an 
outstanding group of young core players Briggs is in a position to take 
advantage of matchp opportunities and be highly productive within coach 
Lovie Smith's defensive schemes.

The Redskins, on the other hand, finished 31st in the NFL in total 
defense in 2006 thanks to a lack of playmakers. Defensive coordinator 
Gregg Williams relies on complex pressure schemes that rely on 
linebackers to react and play in space, but the supporting cast there 
would not put Briggs in the same kind of situation he is in with the Bears.

Briggs is a perfect fit in Chicago but would not have the same impact on 
the field in Washington. He is also an outstanding presence in the 
locker room and well-respected by his Bears teammates, adding yet 
another consideration to any possible deal. The Redskins would get a 
good young player but would struggle to get the same production and 
impact out of Briggs.

This will be interesting to watch as the draft approaches and could 
significantly affect the fortunes of both franchises heading into 2007.