According to a report from Scout.com (registration required), the New York Giants have made an offer to the Chicago Bears for linebacker Lance Briggs. The report also states that the offer would be for the Giants number one draft pick; 20th overall. It went on to add that they would need to sweeten the deal a bit for a move to actually happen.For weeks it seemed like the Giants were out of the running for Briggs, but as the draft approaches they find themselves back in the mix. A lot of people are against the Giants making any sort of trade but Briggs is a legitimate and proven NFL veteran; something New York could not get in round one.
I think that it would be a good trade pending any additions. A one and two would be overkill, but a one and four or five would be ideal. It would also give the Giants a great linebacking corp, Lance Briggs, Antonio Pierce and Kawika Mitchell.
See Scout.com forum post: Giants enter Briggs sweepstakes.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Don't see this happening. according to the ever almighty NFL Draft Value Trade Chart, the number 20 pick is worth less (850 pts) then a swap of the number 6 and 31 (1000 pts) if they were to trade with Washington. Even if you add in New York's 1st and 2nd round picks, you still only end up with 1035 points, and a 1st and 2nd round pick are a ton to give up.
Dan - I though you were on vacation? Couldn't resist huh?
King - Washington wants to unload that 6th pick and from what I understand is having a hard time doing it. The Cap issues a high pick presents challenges for teams like Washington and the Bears who have little to no room to spare. The trade value chart is only guideline and in many situations can be flawed. That being said I don't think this would happen because the Giants would need to offer more than a first rounder and I don't think they will...especially with the price tag that will be attached to Briggs.
Bill, the Bears are $20 million under the cap. They just don't want to invest a lot in a single player. Also the 6th spot looks like it's destined for a D lineman based on the mocks, and the Bears don't need a high priced guy there, as they're pretty good at the spot already.
Am I the only Giant's fan that likes this move. If they can get Briggs for a 1st round pick and throw some cash at 'em then go ahead. I wouldn't give up more than a first rounder though
I would be very cautious about this move. Briggs is a good player but a lot of his success was based on playing next to Erlacher, and Pierce is no Erlacher. He also benefitted from the Bears scheme and the fact that he didn't have too much responsibility in pass coverage. Is he worth a first round pick? Maybe, but if the Giants can get a blue chipper in the defensive backfield with that pick I think they need that more than a quality linebacker, where they have a few good young prospects who could develop into as good or better than Briggs. And Briggs is a high-salary guy who can't wait to become a free agent so he can hold someone up. More than a first pick? No way...that's a sucker trade.
I say no to the trade, they're is some great players in the draft. People please don't get crazy, the draft is around the corner. The Giants have eough super star. If anything do something with the corners and Strahan?
Briggs has plenty of pass coverage responsibility, the Bears almost never use a dime leaving Briggs on the field all 3 downs. According to football outsiders Briggs is the best coverage linebacker in the NFL, and having watched all but 1 Bears game this year I have no reason to doubt that. His pass rush is nothing to write home about.
I didn't mean Briggs had no responsibility in pass coverage. He didn't have "too much" responsibility because Erlacher did such a great job of covering the middle zone of the field. Briggs almost always had coverage on only part of one side of the field. Since Pierce's range isn't as good as Erlacher's, Briggs would have more responsibility and he didn't seem to me (although admittedly I only saw him play three times in 2006) to be good enough to cover from sideline to well inside the hash marks. In any case, the Giants will probably stick with nickel and dime packages and play a different defense. I know Pierce wants Briggs on the team, but I still don't think he is worth more than a first round pick, if that. If the Giants know that Wilkinson and Blackburn have a lot of upside (something I suspect but the player evaluators probably know more about) then Briggs is a luxury they can't afford and they should keep the pick and get a really promising defensive back, where they absolutely know they have great need.
Not to belabor the point, but Briggs only had to cover a relatively small zone of the field (sideline to hash marks and about 5-12 yards downfield) because of Erlacher's inhuman abilities. So I repeat, he did not have "too much" pass coverage responsibility. The Giants tend to use a lot of nickel and dime packages (although a new coordinator could change that) but if Briggs had cover responsibility for the tight end and receivers out of the backfield he would have to cover much more of the field than he has before (because Pierce doesn't have Erlacher's ability to cover over half of the field...the guy is in a different category). He's solid against the run and not a great speed rusher on the QB. So, is he that much better than what they may have in Wilkinson, Mitchell, Torber and Blackburn (all of whom will probably get lots of minutes on the OLB position)? I think that LB is a position that can be improved through the next two drafts and through free agency a lot easier than any team can improve their defensive backfield, and the acquisition of Mitchell made this less of a desperate situation than it had been. Then there's the issue of his wanting lots of money. With the cap a team can probably only afford one stud linebacker and a bunch of support players. Pass on him and use that first pick on the best defensive back available.