Why the Chicago Bears Absolutely Must Retain Lance Briggs
Published by Ross Read on January 29, 2015
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears have 20 unrestricted free agents entering the 2015 offseason, and none are more important to retain than Lance Briggs.
What looked like a closed door has now cracked opened with a new regime in town. Briggs recently spoke with Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, expressing his willingness to return.
“New GM, new coach, we haven’t had those kinds of talks yet. Obviously the door is open until we have that conversation and I know how they feel,” said Briggs.
By now, most tend to think Briggs has worn out his welcome in Chicago and has one foot out the door, but he still has some good football left in him and should spend the final years of his career with the Bears.
After all, Briggs could end up being the next Julius Peppers.
Peppers had a down season in his final year as a Bear. He seemed to dog it on the field and looked like age had caught up to him. Fast forward a year and Peppers looks fresher than ever in a Packers uniform.
What caused Peppers’ turnaround? He latched onto a quality organization with a respectable coach.
Doesn’t all of this sound familiar with Briggs? It’s clear former head coach Marc Trestman didn’t get the respect he needed from players, and the veterans on defense seemed to regress under his watch.
If Briggs were to leave Chicago for let’s say Tampa Bay, he would likely look focused and rejuvenated under a respected coach like Lovie Smith.
Head coach John Fox and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio can get quality play out of Briggs again. Don’t pay attention to scheme, Briggs can play in a 3-4 if needed. Former Bears All-Pro linebacker Brian Urlacher seems to think so as well.
“I think Lance [Briggs] fits great in any defense,” said Urlacher. “His instincts make him a great fit for any defense. The way he reads things, he reads things like a running back, which is good in a 3-4.”
In a 3-4 scheme, the defensive linemen and linebackers play more two-gap technique. This requires more discipline as they are responsible for the A and B gaps.
Briggs’ greatest strength in his career has been his ability to read and react to plays quickly. The Bears can line him up inside next to Jon Bostic to help the young defender read the gaps.
An underrated skill in Briggs’ career is his ability to blitz. He has 15 sacks in his career and could be a menace once again from the middle or outside.
Over the past two years, Briggs has played in only 17 games due to various injuries. As long as he’s healthy, it’s a low-risk, high-reward move to bring Briggs back on a one-year deal.
If the Bears re-sign Briggs, it doesn’t cost much money and they can still bring in a young impact player without having to throw him into the fire right away.
The organization already fumbled when they mishandled Urlacher’s situation, and Briggs likely wants to put his focus back on football, since his Double Nickel Smokehouse in California is currently averaging 2.5 stars on Yelp.
General manager Ryan Pace is going to set a foundation based on success, hard work and pride.
Regardless of what has happened over the last few years, Briggs still embodies all of those qualities. Bring him back for a year, let him finish his career in Chicago and allow him to be a meaningful bridge to a new generation of good Bears linebackers.
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