Briggs was the best LB we had last year. This will pay off big time.

The defense had a dropoff after Roosevelt Colvin left before and Briggs is much better than Colvin was. This now keeps the Bears LB core as a major strength.

I'm very happy that Lance Briggs is staying.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I'm not

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

The emboldened names are definitively worse than Berrian, and really hope you were joking about some of them(Roddy White? )

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Berrian isn't "definitively" better than any of those guys. He isn't necessarily worse either. The bigger point is that Berrian may be as good as the 25th best receiver in the league, but he's no better than the 50th best receiver in the league...to me that means he's not that difficult to replace and not worth the money or hassle to re-sign him.
Excellent work by Angelo on both accounts.

Most of your list is laughable, Irishboy.

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Roddy White had 1200 yards and caught 61% of the passes thrown to him by Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich and J.R. Redman.

Donte Stallworth had almost 700 yards as a third receiver. Same thing applies to Anthony Gonzalez. Both receivers run a high proportion of middle-to-long routes like Berrian, who was the #1.

There shouldn't even be an argument with Jerricho Cotchery. He had 1130 yards and caught 65% with Pennington and Clemens.

Another thing to remember; all these guys that I listed, with only a few exceptions (and none of the guys you highlighted) were much better at picking up first downs than Berrian. Berrian caught a lot of meaningless passes last year. That hurts him as well.

Also, anyone who said that Isaac Bruce is too old didn't watch a lot of Rams football last year. He still consistently gets open, even at his age. I would rather have Berrian for the long term, obviously, but Bruce, all things considered, was the better receiver in 2007.

I also think some of you are falling into a fantasy football trap. Bernard Berrian might be more recognizable, especially since you've watched him for a few years. But he's not better. Period. Full stop. And I left off quite a few names who I felt would be a toss-up between them and Berrian.

I also forgot Roy Williams, so there's another player who's better.

The problem with Berrian is that if you decide he is your number one WR and pay him as such you are severely limiting your offense. He is not a dominant receiver and never will be. He's not the kind of WR that you can throw the ball up to and he'll go and get it.

If he's the best WR on your team, then you don't have very good WR's and you can't really pay two players like that without limiting your ability to keep other players at another position.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I said he's 20-30. I looked at your list and I'll now concede that he's 28th. That's still not a ringing endorsement on my part. Certainly not enough to justify his Vikings contract.

Once again, he'll never make a pro bowl. I'll also make a prediction that he will get hurt within the next 2 years. Some safety is gonna get a chance and lay him out. His new QB will certainly put him in that vulnerable spot. Berrian is pretty weak. He can't take hits like a lot of receivers can. Something will break. When he comes back from that injury he'll be scared, play more tentative, and be less of a player than he already is.

I wouldnt be surprised if he made 1 or 2 in his career.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

We're all talking about Bernard Berrian, right? There isn't some other, tremendous wide receiver you've all been watching all these weeks, making fabulous, circus catches with breakaway speed and picking up first downs on intermediate routes. You know, the type of receiver that makes a defense gameplan for them specifically, that causes a defense to take the 8th defender out of the box. I didn't miss that guy, did I?

Just looking back through the posts from this year's games, several themes constantly emerge:

Bernard Berrian doesn't run good routes
Bernard Berrian gives up on balls too easily
Bernard Berrian disappears for long stretches
Bernard Berrian drops too many passes

This is what everyone was saying during the games. Now after the fact, everyone is complaining about the loss of stud WR Bernard Berrian. I'm not buying it.

I know Irish Boy. I'm basically agreeing with you. I'm saying he's not great. I'm also saying he doesn't suck.

I'm glad the Bears didn't slot him in at the salary the Vikings gave him. It was the right decision. It helped bring back Briggs. Angelo wan't going to pay both of those salaries.

Do you understand the words that are coming out of my computer Irish Boy?

I'm not disagreeing with you. We'll quibble at the margins of how good he is, but we basically agree. Farvefan said he wouldn't be surprised if Bernard Berrian ever made it to the Pro Bowl. Tell you what, if Bernard Berrian ever makes it to the pro bowl, I'll buy the first three rounds of drinks at the next CSFMB outing. Hold me to it.

No chance in hell of that happening, unless they find a new QB, but even with that he drops to many passes and doesn't go after the ball enough to make himself noticed.

Post of the week!

i would take gonzales and stallworth over berrian.

and im wonderin if jamar williams will be given a shot to take hunter hillameyers spot?

I will. Theres been some pretty obscure names to make the Pro Bowl. Berrian has shown that he has the talent. I dont think he's done developing.

I dont think you guys get what Im saying. Its clear to any NFL fan worth his salt that Berrian's contract was ridiculous. Obviously the Vikings completely overpaid for him, which Im glad to see because it will hinder their ability to help their team in other ways.

On the other hand, I dont think even half of the guys on IB's list would be able to make that clutch catch against the Broncos that Berrian caught. I think he has top 20 WR talent. I agree with the obvious criticisms that he gives up on routes, can drop easy passes, isnt effective week in and week out. We will not argue on those subjects. I just think its ridiculous to be absolutely certain that he wont ever make a Pro Bowl in his career. (IB, did you have Chambers making the Pro Bowl in 2005? )

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I will enjoy watching Berrian getting roughed up by Tillman and Vasher this year.

I fully expect Sidney Rice to emerge as the Vikings top WR this year and for Berrian to quickly be in the doghouse with fans.