The Bears’ quest for a return to the NFL title game might have become a bit harder Monday as they traded No. 1 running back Thomas Jones to the New York Jets amid the furor created by Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs declaring that he wants out of Chicago.
Jones met with Jets coach Eric Mangini on Monday night, and a multiyear contract extension with about $12 million guaranteed is expected to be announced Tuesday once Jones passes a physical.
The Bears are sending Jones to New York in exchange for a move up 26 spots in the second round of April’s NFL draft, from 63rd overall to 37th. The Jets get the 63rd pick in the deal.
As the Jones deal was unfolding, the Bears’ relationship with Briggs was taking a decided turn for the worse. That happened when Briggs declared that the Bears should either remove their franchise tag and its guaranteed one-year salary of $7.206 million or trade him.
The Jones move now firmly places the Bears’ running game in the hands of Cedric Benson, who has been bothered by two knee injuries and a shoulder injury. He and Jones worked their way through two years of generally uneasy coexistence.
“I think [the trade] is a good thing, good just because I can focus just on playing and not have the doubt and not knowing at times how everything was,” said Benson, who said his left knee is fine after the sprain suffered in the Super Bowl.
Jones asked to be traded last spring. A possible deal with the Indianapolis Colts fell through, leading to Jones playing against the Colts in Super Bowl XLI instead of with them.
But General Manager Jerry Angelo talked with Jones before the season and the two reached an understanding. If Jones gave everything he had to the Bears, the Bears would keep an open mind and fairly explore ways to grant Jones his wish.
The deal projects to send the Bears into the April draft in search of a running back.
The Tribune reported last month that Briggs had told at least one teammate that he was unhappy with the Bears designating him as their franchise player and that he would press for a trade.
That unhappiness took shape Monday as Briggs said he “absolutely” wanted a trade out of Chicago and that “I’ll do everything that’s within my power to not be with this organization,” he said on “The Mike North Morning Show” on The Score (670-AM).
“What it really comes down to, it’s not about the money,” Briggs insisted. “It’s about you’ve played here long enough, and you think you’ve earned a certain position on the team that you would be here for a long time.”
The franchise tag guarantees Briggs the average of the top five salaries for players at his position. But it gives the Bears the right to match any offer from another team or receive two No. 1 draft choices as compensation if they choose not to match the offer sheet.
“The franchise tag is there to keep me around for one more year with no intention of a long-term deal,” he told The Score. “I thought I stood in a better light with the Bears until the franchise tag was thrown on me.”
The Bears have set themselves up to be able to afford Briggs’ $7.206 million and could free up more money. In addition to the $2.725 million traded away with Jones’ salary, they are expected to seek a reduction in the $2.49 million salary due injured safety Mike Brown.
The Bears have until July 16 to sign Briggs to a long-term deal, or he can play only for the franchise number.
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POLL POSITION
Chicagosports.com asked:
“What should the Bears do with Lance Briggs?”
27.1%
Trade him
19.4%
Keep him–at the franchise salary
53.5%
Pay him–and sign him long-term.
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OFF-SEASON OF DISCONTENT
Since losing the Super Bowl in February, the Bears have been saddled with dismissals and defections and rumors of defections. Here’s a look at several key coaches and players on the team and how their contracts were resolved.
— Redeye, Tribune
Lance Briggs
The situation: The Bears placed a franchise tag on the Pro Bowl linebacker, guaranteeing him more than $7.2 million in 2007 but also taking him off the open market–and possibly a big free-agent payday.
The outcome: Briggs balked at the designation and demanded the tag be rescinded in an interview published on espn.com Monday.
Thomas Jones
The situation: The Bears starting running back sought a trade last off-season, after the team drafted heir apparent Cedric Benson and began splitting their carries. Jones asked again to be traded this off-season, too, despite leading the team in rushing with 1,210 yards and playing a key role in the Bears’ Super Bowl run.
The outcome: The former first-round pick was conditionally traded to the New York Jets, pending a physical.
Lovie Smith
The situation: Smith already was the lowest paid among all NFL head coaches; contract talks hit a wall when none of the team’s offers were “close” to his market value, according to his agent. Smith was prepared to bolt to another team as a free agent after the season, barring an “unforeseen breakthrough,” his agent said.
The outcome: Smith agreed to an extension with the Bears in a four-year deal that included $22 million in new money.
Ron Rivera
The situation: The Bears defensive coordinator interviewed for head coaching positions in Dallas and San Diego, losing out to Norv Turner for the latter vacancy.
The outcome: In a surprise, Smith and the Bears opted not to renew Rivera’s contract, saying “we’re going in two different directions.” Smith promoted linebackers coach Bob Babich, who shares a long history with Smith.
Dave Toub
The situation: Early in the off-season, sources all but placed the special-teams coordinator in Philadelphia after contract talks seemed to unravel.
The outcome: Less than a week before his contract was set to expire, Toub signed a three-year extension with the Bears. “I was willing to let it play out and see what happens,” Toub said at the time. “But the Bears came with a very fair contract offer, and I’m happy, very happy.”
The others
The situation: The coaching staff had several other defections. QB coach Wade Wilson reunited with the Cowboys in the same position; defensive line coach Don Johnson left with a year left on his contract; and assistant offensive line coach Harold Goodwin took the same position with Pittsburgh.
The outcome: The team hired defensive line coach Brick Haley and linebackers coach Hardy Nickerson to replace Johnson and Babich, respectively. They named former San Francisco quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton as the successor to Wilson. The Bears also hired former Duke assistant running backs coach Charles London as offensive quality-control coach.
