Briggs Agrees to One-Year Contract with Bears

Signs a one-year contract with the Bears for the 2007 franchise tender amount of $7.2 million.

Bears linebacker Lance Briggs will be at training camp in person after agreeing Wednesday to sign a one-year contract with the Bears for the 2007 franchise tender amount of $7.2 million.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - Lance Briggs won’t have to watch the sports news on television to get a glimpse of Bourbonnais.

The two-time Pro Bowl linebacker will be at training camp in person after agreeing Wednesday to sign a one-year contract with the Bears for the 2007 franchise tender amount of $7.2 million.

Briggs was selected to the Pro Bowl for the second straight season in 2006 when he ranked second on the Bears with a career-high 176 tackles and 10 tackles for loss.

The 6-1, 240-pounder also had two interceptions, one sack, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Briggs turned down a long-term contract extension a year ago and was designated as the Bears’ franchise player in March after helping the team reach the Super Bowl for the first time in 21 seasons.

That guaranteed Briggs a one-year contract equal to the average of the five highest paid linebackers in the NFL.

But he was upset that the tag prevented him from reaching the open market and threatened to sit out training camp and up to 10 regular-season games.

Instead, Briggs agreed to sign the one-year deal and report to training camp, though it was not clear as of Wednesday night exactly when the weakside linebacker would arrive and whether he would participate in the first practice at 3:00 p.m. Friday.

Coach Lovie Smith will address the situation Thursday afternoon in Bourbonnais.

Log onto ChicagoBears.com for complete coverage as the reigning NFC champions report to training camp at Olivet Nazarene University.

Stroy by: Larry Mayer

Courtesy: chicagobears.com

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