Post by specialk1307 on Jul 30, 2006 13:39:45 GMT -4
Super agent no hero of day
Rosenhaus drops in, but status of Jones, Briggs still in limbo
By K.C. Johnson
Tribune staff reporter
Published July 30, 2006
BOURBONNAIS -- As Drew Rosenhaus' white rental car with Wisconsin license plates sped out of Olivet Nazarene University on Friday, the mind raced as well.
Had the high-profile agent just hammered out a long-term contract extension for client Lance Briggs?
Demanded a trade for client Thomas Jones?
Miraculously healed Jones' strained hamstring?
Alas, nothing that exciting occurred. Rosenhaus, who has close friends in Chicago, merely had come to the Bears' training camp for client visits with Briggs, Jones, Adewale Ogunleye, Tommie Harris and Brendon Ayanbadejo.
That left general manager Jerry Angelo to address myriad topics, including Jones' trade/injury status and his doubt that he would resume negotiations with Rosenhaus on Briggs' extension before the season.
Jones underwent a magnetic resonance imaging test on the strained hamstring that sidelined him for a second day.
While Angelo and coach Lovie Smith were in agreement that the injury appears mild enough that Jones won't be out for significant time, their words on whether the Bears would trade last season's leading rusher seemed to diverge.
Rosenhaus inherited Jones' receptiveness to a trade after taking over as his agent in late April. An inquiry from Indianapolis near the NFL draft in April cooled. ESPN.com reported late Thursday that the Bears recently turned down an offer of disgruntled Broncos receiver Ashley Lelie for Jones.
"We can't wait to get him on the field," Smith said. "There was nothing about we can't wait to get him out of here. I'm sure a lot of teams would like to have Thomas Jones. We're glad we have him."
Asked if the Bears need depth at running back, Angelo agreed--with a caveat.
"You can't have enough good players at any position," he said. "But if there's a situation where we feel we can upgrade our team, we're certainly going to look at that."
Asked if he worried Jones' disappointment over falling behind Cedric Benson on the depth chart could become an issue, Angelo was blunt.
"I can't make a guy feel something," he said. "He knows what he has to do. It's about business now. He knows what we expect of him. It's about being the best team we can be."
Smith consistently has been adamant about the need to have depth at the position because of injuries.
Pressed further about the possibility of Jones being traded, Angelo grew stern.
"I'm not going to get into trades," Angelo said. "We're focused on the season now. We're focused on the team.
"I'm not focused on Lance Briggs. I'm not focused on Thomas Jones. I'm not focused on Olin Kreutz. I'm focused on the team and our opener against Green Bay. That's where our mind-set is.
"We're not going to get into any personal issues with any player at this time."
In comments during training camp, that appears to be the focus of Jones and Briggs as well.
Briggs, who took some snaps with the first nickel package Friday, has put thoughts about an extension behind thoughts about winning the Super Bowl.
"I'm more focused on winning this year than anything else," Briggs said.
"There's not much I can do about [my contract]. I'm happy to see [Rosenhaus], see that he's active and doing his job. But your agent doesn't get your new contract. You get it by how you play."
Rosenhaus drops in, but status of Jones, Briggs still in limbo
By K.C. Johnson
Tribune staff reporter
Published July 30, 2006
BOURBONNAIS -- As Drew Rosenhaus' white rental car with Wisconsin license plates sped out of Olivet Nazarene University on Friday, the mind raced as well.
Had the high-profile agent just hammered out a long-term contract extension for client Lance Briggs?
Demanded a trade for client Thomas Jones?
Miraculously healed Jones' strained hamstring?
Alas, nothing that exciting occurred. Rosenhaus, who has close friends in Chicago, merely had come to the Bears' training camp for client visits with Briggs, Jones, Adewale Ogunleye, Tommie Harris and Brendon Ayanbadejo.
That left general manager Jerry Angelo to address myriad topics, including Jones' trade/injury status and his doubt that he would resume negotiations with Rosenhaus on Briggs' extension before the season.
Jones underwent a magnetic resonance imaging test on the strained hamstring that sidelined him for a second day.
While Angelo and coach Lovie Smith were in agreement that the injury appears mild enough that Jones won't be out for significant time, their words on whether the Bears would trade last season's leading rusher seemed to diverge.
Rosenhaus inherited Jones' receptiveness to a trade after taking over as his agent in late April. An inquiry from Indianapolis near the NFL draft in April cooled. ESPN.com reported late Thursday that the Bears recently turned down an offer of disgruntled Broncos receiver Ashley Lelie for Jones.
"We can't wait to get him on the field," Smith said. "There was nothing about we can't wait to get him out of here. I'm sure a lot of teams would like to have Thomas Jones. We're glad we have him."
Asked if the Bears need depth at running back, Angelo agreed--with a caveat.
"You can't have enough good players at any position," he said. "But if there's a situation where we feel we can upgrade our team, we're certainly going to look at that."
Asked if he worried Jones' disappointment over falling behind Cedric Benson on the depth chart could become an issue, Angelo was blunt.
"I can't make a guy feel something," he said. "He knows what he has to do. It's about business now. He knows what we expect of him. It's about being the best team we can be."
Smith consistently has been adamant about the need to have depth at the position because of injuries.
Pressed further about the possibility of Jones being traded, Angelo grew stern.
"I'm not going to get into trades," Angelo said. "We're focused on the season now. We're focused on the team.
"I'm not focused on Lance Briggs. I'm not focused on Thomas Jones. I'm not focused on Olin Kreutz. I'm focused on the team and our opener against Green Bay. That's where our mind-set is.
"We're not going to get into any personal issues with any player at this time."
In comments during training camp, that appears to be the focus of Jones and Briggs as well.
Briggs, who took some snaps with the first nickel package Friday, has put thoughts about an extension behind thoughts about winning the Super Bowl.
"I'm more focused on winning this year than anything else," Briggs said.
"There's not much I can do about [my contract]. I'm happy to see [Rosenhaus], see that he's active and doing his job. But your agent doesn't get your new contract. You get it by how you play."