Briggs: Contract demands aren't just about me

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Friday, Sept. 9, 2011
Posted: 8:41 a.m.

By John Mullin
CSNChicago.com Bears InsiderFollow @CSNMoonMullin
Lance Briggs isnt in the mood to talk anymore about his contract situation. But he isnt ruling out something ultimately happening between the Bears and himself.

I dont know, Briggs said on ComcastSportsNets Countdown to Kickoff show. My focus is really on playing football. Ive handled the business part and well see what happens in the future. Now Ive just got to go out and play ball.

The Bears have done in-season extensions for players under contract: Jay Cutler, Brian Urlacher, Olin Kreutz, Matt Toeaina, among others. Briggs, with three years remaining on his current contract, did not get his desired response from the Bears on two occasions when he approached the team.

One scenario conceivably could be Briggs situation being revisited if he continues to play at the Pro Bowl level he has produced for six straight seasons.

Its all about production and thats the way youre judged in the NFL, said Tom Thayer, former Bear and current WBBM-AM color commentator. If you are producing above your salary with a lot of expectations on your shoulders, then it gives you the right to go in and ask for a renegotiation. Lance has done everything the Bears have ever asked of him.

Briggs also has done what he believes a team leader should do for teammates: Take a position and do it publicly if it can be a means of calling attention to what he views as similar situations elsewhere in his locker room.

One of the things that I know, by going to the public and doing what I did, I know Im going to catch a lot of flak, Briggs said. Ill be a man about it. But when youre a leader of the team, youre also a voice. If I have an opportunity to be a voice, no matter how much heat Im going to take, Im going to do it.

Its bigger than just my issue. Its Matt Forte, its Chris Harris, its Israel Idonije. Theres a lot of players on the Bears that help us win a championship.

Briggs doubtless was watching the New Orleans Saints take on the Green Bay Packers Thursday night. That meant was seeing Kreutz snap the ball to Drew Brees.

Given that the Bears signed Chris Spencer to a two-year contract worth as much as 6 million, Briggs isnt sure why Kreutz isnt in Chicago getting ready to play the Atlanta Falconsas a Bear.

No disrespect to Chris Spencer, because I really like the guy and Im glad hes an addition to our team, Briggs said. But for the price they brought Chris Spencer in and number of years, I dont see any why Olin Kreutz, who is a one-of a kind leader for us...Why not just keep Olin? Its not my decision but I didnt quite understand that completely. Maybe it was time to let go.

John "Moon" Mullin is CSNChicago.com's Bears Insider and appears regularly on Bears Postgame Live and Chicago Tribune Live. Follow Moon on Twitter for up-to-the-minute Bears information.

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