Berrian wants top 10 WR money, Rumor: Vikes to make serious offer today Options

[Max Power]

Just a couple clippings from the Chicago Sun Times...

Here's the bottom line for the Bears' attempt to re-sign wide receiver Bernard Berrian: Their most recent offer -- $8 million in bonus money in a five-year, $25 million package -- wasn't enough to get a deal done.

Free agency begins at 11 tonight, and Berrian is seeking a payday well in excess of that -- $24.5 million in the first three years of a contract -- though general manager Jerry Angelo last week called the Bears' offers to Berrian and linebacker Lance Briggs ''aggressive.''

Berrian is aiming to top the six-year, $39 million deal former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch received from the Seattle Seahawks last fall. That contract pays Branch $23 million in the first three years.

Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers also are thought to be interested

This post has been edited by Max Power: Feb 29 2008, 11:43 AM

[LILB811]

Just a couple clippings from the Chicago Sun Times...

Here's the bottom line for the Bears' attempt to re-sign wide receiver Bernard Berrian: Their most recent offer -- $8 million in bonus money in a five-year, $25 million package -- wasn't enough to get a deal done.

Free agency begins at 11 tonight, and Berrian is seeking a payday well in excess of that -- $24.5 million in the first three years of a contract -- though general manager Jerry Angelo last week called the Bears' offers to Berrian and linebacker Lance Briggs ''aggressive.''

Berrian is aiming to top the six-year, $39 million deal former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch received from the Seattle Seahawks last fall. That contract pays Branch $23 million in the first three years.

Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers also are thought to be interested

I have thought, and still think, Bernard will end up in San Francisco. He played at Fresno St. and wants a warm weather home. I'm sure Martz would love to have him in that offense and just turn him loose.

[Banger]

I'm sure he does. If anyone gives him that money they are overpaying.

[JAA]

Browns would be a good fit. THough cant see them paying that

[Max Power]

I'm sure he does. If anyone gives him that money they are overpaying.

I'm sure someone will...

[mad sweeney]

Just a couple clippings from the Chicago Sun Times...

Here's the bottom line for the Bears' attempt to re-sign wide receiver Bernard Berrian: Their most recent offer -- $8 million in bonus money in a five-year, $25 million package -- wasn't enough to get a deal done.

Free agency begins at 11 tonight, and Berrian is seeking a payday well in excess of that -- $24.5 million in the first three years of a contract -- though general manager Jerry Angelo last week called the Bears' offers to Berrian and linebacker Lance Briggs ''aggressive.''

Berrian is aiming to top the six-year, $39 million deal former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch received from the Seattle Seahawks last fall. That contract pays Branch $23 million in the first three years.

Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers also are thought to be interested

I have thought, and still think, Bernard will end up in San Francisco. He played at Fresno St. and wants a warm weather home. I'm sure Martz would love to have him in that offense and just turn him loose.

Maybe compared to Chicago SF is a warm weather home, but like Tim Armstrong says "It's cold as hell it's the middle of summer" and "It's California but it ain't sunny"

[Little Lord Hump...]

Just a couple clippings from the Chicago Sun Times...

Berrian is aiming to top the six-year, $39 million deal former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch received from the Seattle Seahawks last fall. That contract pays Branch $23 million in the first three years.

Funny, Branch is the exact reason he shouldn't get that kind of money. I think the Bears offer was generous.

[Phurfur]

I don't think he is that good. He makes some great catches but also fails to make the tough clutch catches. I think the Bears offer is more than fair.

[David Yudkin]

I'm sure he does. If anyone gives him that money they are overpaying.

I both agree and disagree. I agree that he's probably not worth his asking price, but each subsequent off season a lot of not top tier WRs have been getting more and more money contract wise, and with the bar set higher each year it may not be way out of the realm of possibility.

Here were the 2007 cap hits for some other WRs which IMO probably were not worth it . . .

Chris Chambers $7.3 million
Kevin Curtis $6.3 million
Deion Branch $6 million
David Givens $5.7 million
Bobby Wade $4.8 million
Dennis Northcutt $4.5 million
Derrick Mason $4.4 million

So while I don't think Berrian will get $7 or $ 8 million a year on average, he may still get somewhere near that.

[gdg76]

If someone pays him what he is looking for, they are crazy.

I'm so glad the Bears didn't franchise him and extra glad he passed up on the offer. Thanks for your occasional flashes of brilliance in an otherwise mediocre stint in Chicago, adios. Don't let the door hit you on the way out...

This post has been edited by gdg76: Feb 28 2008, 09:49 AM

[Banger]

I don't think he is that good. He makes some great catches but also fails to make the tough clutch catches. I think the Bears offer is more than fair.

I agree that it's fair but if I'm in his spot I take my shot at free agency. There's bound to be a desperate team to overpay for his services. It happens all the time.

[EBF]

Cleveland and Oakland make sense. If the 49ers are going the typical Martz route then Berrian would also be a good fit there.

[Max Power]

I have also heard that the Vikes are interested

[David Yudkin]

I don't think he is that good. He makes some great catches but also fails to make the tough clutch catches. I think the Bears offer is more than fair.

I agree that it's fair but if I'm in his spot I take my shot at free agency. There's bound to be a desperate team to overpay for his services. It happens all the time.

This is a topic all of it's own, but I am not so sure I like what they have done with the salary cap in recent seasons.

The concept was to spread the wealth and take the rewards of the league and filter it through all the levels of players.

But what ends up happening is that so many teams end up $20-$40 million under the cap, guys that really aren't worth it get megabucks and the average joes get paid pretty much the same.

[Couch Potato]

The smart fantasy play is to add Bradley and/or Hester on the cheap. Berrian's numbers will be replaced by one of these two.

This post has been edited by Couch Potato: Feb 28 2008, 10:00 AM

[ImTheScientist]

I'm sure he does. If anyone gives him that money they are overpaying.

I both agree and disagree. I agree that he's probably not worth his asking price, but each subsequent off season a lot of not top tier WRs have been getting more and more money contract wise, and with the bar set higher each year it may not be way out of the realm of possibility.

Here were the 2007 cap hits for some other WRs which IMO probably were not worth it . . .

Chris Chambers $7.3 million
Kevin Curtis $6.3 million
Deion Branch $6 million
David Givens $5.7 million
Bobby Wade $4.8 million
Dennis Northcutt $4.5 million
Derrick Mason $4.4 million

So while I don't think Berrian will get $7 or $ 8 million a year on average, he may still get somewhere near that.

What a waste of $$$

[gdg76]

The smart fantasy play is to add Bradley and/or Hester on the cheap. Berrian's numbers will be replaced by one of these two.

Let me see if I can post this though the laughs...

there is no "smart fantasy play" on the Bears offense this year other than to avoid them like the plague.

[Banger]

I don't think he is that good. He makes some great catches but also fails to make the tough clutch catches. I think the Bears offer is more than fair.

I agree that it's fair but if I'm in his spot I take my shot at free agency. There's bound to be a desperate team to overpay for his services. It happens all the time.

This is a topic all of it's own, but I am not so sure I like what they have done with the salary cap in recent seasons.

The concept was to spread the wealth and take the rewards of the league and filter it through all the levels of players.

But what ends up happening is that so many teams end up $20-$40 million under the cap, guys that really aren't worth it get megabucks and the average joes get paid pretty much the same.

I agree. It's all about timing and a contract signed this year has little relevance to contracts signed 2 years ago.

[Couch Potato]

The smart fantasy play is to add Bradley and/or Hester on the cheap. Berrian's numbers will be replaced by one of these two.

Let me see if I can post this though the laughs...

there is no "smart fantasy play" on the Bears offense this year other than to avoid them like the plague.

The narrow minded always laugh until a player breaks out. You just go ahead and laugh.

I got Berrian pretty cheap last year and had no problem with his 71-951-5 on the Bears offense.

This post has been edited by Couch Potato: Feb 28 2008, 10:11 AM

[JimboJim]

I'm sure he does. If anyone gives him that money they are overpaying.

I both agree and disagree. I agree that he's probably not worth his asking price, but each subsequent off season a lot of not top tier WRs have been getting more and more money contract wise, and with the bar set higher each year it may not be way out of the realm of possibility.

Here were the 2007 cap hits for some other WRs which IMO probably were not worth it . . .

Chris Chambers $7.3 million
Kevin Curtis $6.3 million
Deion Branch $6 million
David Givens $5.7 million
Bobby Wade $4.8 million
Dennis Northcutt $4.5 million
Derrick Mason $4.4 million

So while I don't think Berrian will get $7 or $ 8 million a year on average, he may still get somewhere near that.

Come on, cut Mason a little slack. 10.6 yards per catch isn't great, but 103/1087/5 in that Baltimore passing offense which finished 23rd in the league isn't bad.

[JuSt CuZ]

Had him on my fantasy team.....I wouldn give his buttafingas a 25 price range



.25 cents......HE SUX

[Couch Potato]

Had him on my fantasy team.....I wouldn give his buttafingas a 25 price range



.25 cents......HE SUX

At 12.3 PPG in PPR leagues and 7.8 PPG in non-PPR leagues, given a pre-season ADP of about WR31, he didn't hurt his owners at all. He exceeded expectations for his draft position.

That said, he doesn't belong in the top-10 crowd, and if someone gives him that kind of money they are making a mistake. He's an NFL WR2 talent, not a WR1 IMO.

This post has been edited by Couch Potato: Feb 28 2008, 10:28 AM

[Pictus Cat]

The smart fantasy play is to add Bradley and/or Hester on the cheap. Berrian's numbers will be replaced by one of these two.

Let me see if I can post this though the laughs...

there is no "smart fantasy play" on the Bears offense this year other than to avoid them like the plague.

The narrow minded always laugh until a player breaks out. You just go ahead and laugh.

I got Berrian pretty cheap last year and had no problem with his 71-951-5 on the Bears offense.

Took Berrian two years ago in my fist FBG Spring Survivor League.
Why?
He was a burner who made good plays but missed time being hurt. He looks like a stick.
2006 51-775-6
If he is gone, who does that sound like?

[H.K.]

Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers also are thought to be interested [/i]

None of these places look too promising. IMHO he'd have more FF value staying with the Bears.

[Couch Potato]

The smart fantasy play is to add Bradley and/or Hester on the cheap. Berrian's numbers will be replaced by one of these two.

Let me see if I can post this though the laughs...

there is no "smart fantasy play" on the Bears offense this year other than to avoid them like the plague.

The narrow minded always laugh until a player breaks out. You just go ahead and laugh.

I got Berrian pretty cheap last year and had no problem with his 71-951-5 on the Bears offense.

Took Berrian two years ago in my fist FBG Spring Survivor League.
Why?
He was a burner who made good plays but missed time being hurt. He looks like a stick.
2006 51-775-6
If he is gone, who does that sound like?

B-R-A-D-L-E-Y.

This post has been edited by Couch Potato: Feb 28 2008, 10:50 AM

[TitusIII]

He has some elite skills that you can't teach, and would be a beast in certain situations...but unless a team has a stud or emerging stud at QB in place, he 'aint worth the cash. Still think he ends up in Chicago...but who knows at this point...

[massraider]

He's worth that money.

With the cap room teams have, a deal with $12 mill+ in guaranteed money is not a big deal at all. Is he a top 10 WR? No. And in a year or two, his contract won't be top 10.

Overpaying? Sure it is. But his contract can't be compared to what guy made in 2007, especially their "cap numbers", because every contract is different, and the cap numbers vary drastically based on the bonuses and so forth.

Every year, free agent deals look absurd, and then the next year, the next crop of free agent deals put those deals in perspective. This happens every year.

[dmac37]

Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers also are thought to be interested [/i]

None of these places look too promising. IMHO he'd have more FF value staying with the Bears.

I would love to see him go to the Browns, with the Bray on the other side of him. Also SF, with Martz they will be airing it out all game.

[3nOut]

Berrian = for passing up that more than generous offer
= Any other team that offers him more

[H.K.]

Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers also are thought to be interested [/i]

None of these places look too promising. IMHO he'd have more FF value staying with the Bears.

I would love to see him go to the Browns, with the Bray on the other side of him. Also SF, with Martz they will be airing it out all game.

From a football standpoint those aren't bad places for him, but from an FF standpoint -

Cle: they already have Edwards & KW, how much does that leave for Berrian?

SF: who will be throwing the ball and who is going to give the QB time to throw?

This post has been edited by H.K.: Feb 28 2008, 12:29 PM

[Chadstroma]

Top 10 WR money?!

If there is a org out there that is willing to give him that money then they are a joke of a org that will throw money out the window and hurt themselves big time. Berrian is no where near being a top 10 WR. He is a stretch to be one of the top 32 WR's in the league.

Please, please, please Raiders... do not fall in love with his speed and pay him that crazy amount of money. PLEASE!

[dagwood]

Berrian = for passing up that more than generous offer
= Any other team that offers him more

Yep

Berrian is mediocre WR1; good WR2.

[Chadstroma]

Berrian = for passing up that more than generous offer
= Any other team that offers him more

Yep

Berrian is mediocre WR1; good WR2.

I think that is even generous.

[David Yudkin]

I think people are ignoring that what Berrian gets today may not end up being as astronomical as some are making it out to be.

Three or four years from now when all the other WRs out there become free agents or get contract extendions, salaries will have escalated and someone like Berrian may not be anywhere near the top of the WR food chain pay wise.

Think about some other WR that several years ago signed what was thought to be huge contracts. Except now they by comparison are not so huge (or they had huge balloon years that players would never see).

Again, I don't think Berrian is worth what he is asking, but the combination of salary creep and teams having tons of money to spend could land him a contract near what he wants.

[Kitrick Taylor]

I think people are ignoring that what Berrian gets today may not end up being as astronomical as some are making it out to be.

Three or four years from now when all the other WRs out there become free agents or get contract extendions, salaries will have escalated and someone like Berrian may not be anywhere near the top of the WR food chain pay wise.

Think about some other WR that several years ago signed what was thought to be huge contracts. Except now they by comparison are not so huge (or they had huge balloon years that players would never see).

Again, I don't think Berrian is worth what he is asking, but the combination of salary creep and teams having tons of money to spend could land him a contract near what he wants.

I actually think Deion Branch is a fair comparison for Berrian to use as a negotiating point. Different types of receivers, but similar talent levels. He'll get something close to what he's asking because he's one of the few decent WRs on the market.

As a former Mark Bradley owner, I would just be impressed if the guy could stay on the field for more than half the season. You can see the talent there, but he's just no where near reliable.

[renesauz]

I think people are ignoring that what Berrian gets today may not end up being as astronomical as some are making it out to be.

Three or four years from now when all the other WRs out there become free agents or get contract extendions, salaries will have escalated and someone like Berrian may not be anywhere near the top of the WR food chain pay wise.

Think about some other WR that several years ago signed what was thought to be huge contracts. Except now they by comparison are not so huge (or they had huge balloon years that players would never see).

Again, I don't think Berrian is worth what he is asking, but the combination of salary creep and teams having tons of money to spend could land him a contract near what he wants.

Salaries in general are skyrocketing because the NFL let the cap grow too fast. Is Berrian's demand too much? Probably, but not by a ridiculous amount. Was the Bears offer fair? Probably, but was it good enough to keep one of this years top FA WR's from testing the market in what appears to be a slim WR FA crop? Ummm...NO!!!
Berrian will likely sign for 6-6.5 mil per, with 14 or so gaurenteed in the first two. And two years from now, if he keeps playing like he has, he will seem a steal at those numbers.

[Phurfur]

I think people are ignoring that what Berrian gets today may not end up being as astronomical as some are making it out to be.

Three or four years from now when all the other WRs out there become free agents or get contract extendions, salaries will have escalated and someone like Berrian may not be anywhere near the top of the WR food chain pay wise.

Think about some other WR that several years ago signed what was thought to be huge contracts. Except now they by comparison are not so huge (or they had huge balloon years that players would never see).

Again, I don't think Berrian is worth what he is asking, but the combination of salary creep and teams having tons of money to spend could land him a contract near what he wants.

Salaries in general are skyrocketing because the NFL let the cap grow too fast. Is Berrian's demand too much? Probably, but not by a ridiculous amount. Was the Bears offer fair? Probably, but was it good enough to keep one of this years top FA WR's from testing the market in what appears to be a slim WR FA crop? Ummm...NO!!!
Berrian will likely sign for 6-6.5 mil per, with 14 or so gaurenteed in the first two. And two years from now, if he keeps playing like he has, he will seem a steal at those numbers.

This guy just isn't that good and does not produce in the clutch. He will never be a steal at those numbers. I like the Branch analogy, does anyone think he is a steal today?

[massraider]

I think people are ignoring that what Berrian gets today may not end up being as astronomical as some are making it out to be.

Three or four years from now when all the other WRs out there become free agents or get contract extendions, salaries will have escalated and someone like Berrian may not be anywhere near the top of the WR food chain pay wise.

People ignore this every year.


What's even more annoying is that agents and teams sign these guys to deals with phony money, everyone knows it, and yet everyone still comes storming into the Shark Pool and yell, "$40 million!?! What a bunch of dummies!!"

The guaranteed money is what matters, people.

[GRIDIRON ASSASSI...]

Missing in all of this is that Berrian played at Fresno State - and he has a daughter in the area.

He'd be a fool to sign with the Raiders, but SF makes sense - with Martz at the helm of the offense, and the revolving pinatas that will line up behind center.

[flapgreen]

Get lost Berrian

[Max Power]

I'm still shocked the Bears didn't at least tender him

[duece2626]

I wouldn give his buttafingas a 25 price range

128 targets, 71 receptions, 4 drops

http://stats.washingtonpost.com/fb/players...6837&team=3

This post has been edited by duece2626: Feb 28 2008, 07:00 PM

[GRIDIRON ASSASSI...]

I'm still shocked the Bears didn't at least tender him

With what? A meat tenderizing mallet?

He was an UNRESTRICTED free agent, he wasn't restricted.

And they weren't going to pay him close to $8Mil to listen to him belly ache how much he hates the franchise tag when he's not worth $8Mil a year.

I'm gonna laugh when Ike Bruce reunites with Martz first.

[Max Power]

I'm still shocked the Bears didn't at least tender him

With what? A meat tenderizing mallet?

He was an UNRESTRICTED free agent, he wasn't restricted.

And they weren't going to pay him close to $8Mil to listen to him belly ache how much he hates the franchise tag when he's not worth $8Mil a year.

I'm gonna laugh when Ike Bruce reunites with Martz first.

the sad thing is that I knew that.... this has been the second time I forgot he was an UFA

[massraider]

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that the new contract between the Texans and receiver Andre Davis is worth $16 million over four years, with guaranteed money close to $8 million.


And Berrian wants 412 mill in guaranteed money? Seems fair to me.

[EBF]

Scout.com says Minnesota and Tennessee are the frontrunners here. The 49ers are also in the mix.

http://profootballexperts.scout.com/2/733026.html

[travdogg]

If I were running an NFL team I wouldn't even think of signing Berrian.

You could get Bryant Johnson or Jerry Porter for probably half the price and they aren't one-dimensional deep threats(though they aren't as fast either.)


I mean would you rather pay Berrian 6 million per or Johnson 3 million per? Personally I'd pick Johnson and it wouldn't even be remotely close.

[GRIDIRON ASSASSI...]

GMs looove potential.

They'll think if Berrian did as good as he did in Chicago with Grossman, they can turn him into a perennial 1,000 yard 8 TD receiver.

He'll be signed to a nice fat contract, as there are too many teams (Tenn, Minny, SF, Oakland and Chi) with lousy WRs and boatloads of cap space.

[EBF]

If I were running an NFL team I wouldn't even think of signing Berrian.

You could get Bryant Johnson or Jerry Porter for probably half the price and they aren't one-dimensional deep threats(though they aren't as fast either.)


I mean would you rather pay Berrian 6 million per or Johnson 3 million per? Personally I'd pick Johnson and it wouldn't even be remotely close.

Berrian has a unique skill that few receivers in the league possess. And while he certainly isn't Terrell Owens or Torry Holt, calling him one-dimensional is probably selling him a little short. He's an above average WR who could start for most of the teams in the league.

Johnson is a decent player, but he doesn't really offer you anything rare. I think that's the main reason why Berrian will command more coin.

This post has been edited by EBF: Feb 28 2008, 09:03 PM

[massraider]

If I were running an NFL team I wouldn't even think of signing Berrian.

You could get Bryant Johnson or Jerry Porter for probably half the price and they aren't one-dimensional deep threats(though they aren't as fast either.)


I mean would you rather pay Berrian 6 million per or Johnson 3 million per? Personally I'd pick Johnson and it wouldn't even be remotely close.

Andre Davis got a 4 year, $16 mill deal, and you think B. Johnson is gonna get a lesser deal than that?