Briggs Backs Down

Linebacker swallows pride, signs one-year, $7.2M deal with Chicago
By Jesse Andrews,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 26, 2007 5:31 AM CDT
Briggs Backs Down
SPORTS FBN-VIKINGS-BEARS 4 TB   (KRT Photos)

After swearing he'd never play for Chicago again, star weakside 'backer Lance Briggs reversed his position, swallowing his distaste and accepting the franchise tag, which will net him $7.2 million for one year of play. Briggs wanted a longer contract but felt the Bears had lowballed him with a $33 million, six-year offer.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus said it would have done more harm than good for his client to have sat out the 2007 season. The Bears were loath to commit more to Briggs after giving lucrative long-term deals to defenders Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher, as well as fellow linebacker Brian Urlacher. As a concession, the Bears agreed not to tag Briggs in 2008. (More NFL stories.)

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