Sportsfrog.com

…find their leverage.

So, slap a franchise tag on Briggs, will they? Tell him there is nothing he can do about it, dare they?

The response from Briggs and Drew Rosenhaus:

“‘That is the plan, come back and play the last six games of the season,’ Rosenhaus said…. ”After 10 games, he’ll come in. We’re going to limit our injury risk as much as possible.”’

To which I say…good. Good, in this instance, for what Evil Incarnate is doing. There is no question in my mind that it is better for Lance Briggs NOT to play for the $7 million this year and risk a career altering injury when he could make up to $20 million right now guaranteed money in the market that the Bears are denying him access to. And, yes, it is well within Chicago’s right to slap the tag on him. But, as with all things, Briggs will apparently be using what little leverage is available to him to drive his point home.

Frankly, the Bears really do need to either pay the man what he deserves (which would mean actually, ya know, negotiating with him in good faith) or trade him to someone who will.

As it stands, this remains THE off-season dust-up worth tracking.