NFL Network: Bears' Briggs, 31st Pick for Skins' 6th Pick?

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by #56fanatic

for the life of me I can't understand all of the negativity towards this proposed deal. We keep a 1st rounder, and gain a STUD of a LB. Rocky may not be developing the way they want, or if they are like me, you just can't pass up on a guy like Briggs. especially when you essentially just change picks and do not lose our 1st rounder. Our D line does need to be addressed, which it will, just later in the draft. The draft is deep enough we can get a quality player. There may be something in the works we do not know about yet. I can't believe the number of people that are all for signing aged up LB or OLINE men, but when a 26 year old beast LB comes available for essentially nothing, people are bashing it. Yes it will cost us, yes Rocky will sit, but that is just a move that can't be ignored. That side of our D was consistantly run all over.

People are against it because it's the same old song.. Overpay for someone else's superstar while not addressing your most pressing need or developing what's in house.. Anyone else remember Jeremiah Trotter and Antonio Pierce? I know one wasn't a replacement for the other but how did that work out for us?

Granted the FO knows more about the talent on the roster than anyone but did they see in the last 3 games that Rocky has no ability to man that position? Did they determine that moving Marshall to the outside automatically renders him ineffective? This is a move you make when you are one player away, not coming off of a 5-11 season with GLARING holes in the defensive line and pass rushing ends..

I hate to play the what if game but the '05 offseason set this team back for years by making 2 dumb decisions, letting Smoot and Pierce go because we seemingly felt there was something else better out there. We are doing the same thing with McIntosh. We don't know what he'll be over 16 games but after wasting a pick to go get him they are replacing him with someone elses superstar.

If OLB was a need, why not get Cato June who is the same age, slightly less accomplished but would cost a HELL of a lot less in compensation ($+draft position). I'm not saying Briggs is not a good LB but he's a luxury item to this current roster, not a necessity.