This thing has dragged on far longer than I either anticipated or wanted, which is to say more than an instant. The Briggs bonanza was a bad idea from the start and keeps getting worse, as by all indications the Bears are about to escalate the requested compensation for Briggs:
Since there is no one on the Bears' roster capable of adequately replacing Briggs, it's possible the Bears would like to include Redskins sixth-year veteran linebacker Lemar Marshall in the trade.
And although the Redskins are rumored to have denied any willingness to accept a watered down deal -- a rumor not yet reported explicitly in print, as far as I can tell -- the Chicago Sun Times remains skeptical:
One broadcast report indicated the Redskins would not field counteroffers from Angelo in which he tried to sweeten the deal for the Bears by adding a Washington player to the mix or altering the picks involved. That report might have been a negotiating ploy.
A fitting addition would have been "That report might not have been a negotiating ploy." It either is or it isn't. And while I'm admittedly defensive because this entire fiasco has been both exhausting and terrifying at the same time, I think it's a bit of superfulous wishful-thinking to point out one of two mutually exclusive competing conjectures (that happens to favor the Bears). Then again, maybe he's right. Yikes.
So when will we know what the counteroffer is? How the 'Skins respond? Hopefully "broadcast report" is accurate and the mere existence of a counteroffer with additional compensation is enough to terminate this deal. And said counteroffer is apparently pending today:
Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo will make his counter proposal today to the Washington Redskins regarding linebacker Lance Briggs, an NFL source said yesterday.
The Redskins, who offered the No. 6 overall pick to the Bears for Briggs and the No. 31 pick last week, have been in a waiting mode until the Bears decided on a plan.
Apparently they couldn't get to us yesterday, though why I haven't the foggiest.
The Redskins, who offered the No. 6 overall pick to the Bears for Briggs and the No. 31 pick last week, have been in a waiting mode until the Bears decided on a plan.
There is some good news for the dot-connecting crowd -- if good faith is presumed on all parties talk-talk-talking -- per The Times:
"[Angelo] wants more than what they're offering," the source said.
In a development last night, it might not matter what the Bears counter with. The NFL Network reported the Redskins' proposal was their final offer and that talks have stalled.
Angelo wants more, Redskins won't relent, deal dies, right? We can all move on. The sooner this is behind us the better.
In a development last night, it might not matter what the Bears counter with. The NFL Network reported the Redskins' proposal was their final offer and that talks have stalled.