Analyzing the Briggs Deal

With the NFL free agent market slowing down a bit and a few weeks left until the draft, stories are going to become fewer and further between.  However, the 24 hour news cycle demands that we all have something to report, so we’re going to get a lot more articles like this write-up out of the Chicago Tribune detailing why Lance Briggs wasn’t able to command more money on the open market.  There is a somewhat long and convoluted business answer to this question, but the short answer is actually much simpler.  Lance Briggs just doesn’t get enough sacks.

To the football purist, this may sound trite and ridiculous.  Lance Briggs is a game-changer, whether his stats reflect it or not.  Lance Briggs is a brick wall on defense, but he simply does not have the market value he should.  Much of this is due to the business side of football.  GMs can’t very well pay a non-centerpiece linebacker who gets very few sacks a huge contract.  If they did, it would inflate all other defensive contracts.  Therefore, Briggs is shortchanged, simply by virtue of the position he plays, and how he plays it.  The good news here is that the Bears got an absolute steal bringing Briggs back into their fold.

You can get all your Chicago Bears tickets at www.stuhub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on March 11, 2008 - Post a comment