Thread: Broncos target WR Bryant Johnson

The Broncos are reportedly considering free agents Bryant Johnson and Bernard Berrian to pair with Brandon Marshall in 2008.

Johnson will come considerably cheaper than Berrian. Randy Moss is also said to be on Denver's radar, though he's not expected to leave Foxborough.
Source: Denver Post

Johnson would make me say "screw you, Javon"

Originally Posted by BOSSHOGG30

The Broncos are reportedly considering free agents Bryant Johnson and Bernard Berrian to pair with Brandon Marshall in 2008.

Johnson will come considerably cheaper than Berrian. Randy Moss is also said to be on Denver's radar, though he's not expected to leave Foxborough.
Source: Denver Post

That would be a damn good signing...........Get rid of Walker and Gold....sign Johnson and draft all Defense, with the exception of a Tackle maybe in the 5th.

Originally Posted by Drill-N-Fill

Johnson would make me say "screw you, Javon"

Two times. Johnson is a badass. Being a Cards fan, I've seen him play plenty and he is starting material on most teams in the league.

Sweet!!!!!!!!!!!! This would be a huge signing for us. We still need more, esspecially if Walker is indeed gone.

Randy Moss?

Originally Posted by SeeingRed

Two times. Johnson is a badass. Being a Cards fan, I've seen him play plenty and he is starting material on most teams in the league.

I haven't seen him much. He would def be starting here. I hear he is a good blocker. Is he a position guy/deep threat? Whats his height/weight. All I know he has really come on the last year and half.

Originally Posted by Drill-N-Fill

I haven't seen him much. He would def be starting here. I hear he is a good blocker. Is he a position guy/deep threat? Whats his height/weight. All I know he has really come on the last year and half.

6'3'' 215

How high of a contract are we willing to go? It's going to turn into a bidding war for free agents like Johnson. I don't wanna spend too much money on him.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/footb...arnt22.article

Bears in Brief: Berrian a goner? Not yet

February 22, 2008
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- Don't count out the return of Bernard Berrian just yet.

As the deadline to place the franchise tag on players passed Thursday afternoon, agent Drew Rosenhaus was huddling with Bears general manager Jerry Angelo at the combine.

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Bears already Rex-messaging The Bears have made what Angelo called ''aggressive'' offers to Berrian, linebacker Lance Briggs and defensive tackle Tommie Harris -- all three represented by Rosenhaus -- and Angelo said there is room for negotiating. The Bears also want to retain Pro Bowl special-teamer Brendon Ayanbadejo.

Berrian is believed to be seeking a whopper of a contract: more than $20million over the first three years of a deal.

That's Plan A.

''It's certainly going to leave some holes in terms of having experienced people,'' Angelo said of the prospect of not re-signing Berrian. ''We've been in that situation before. We do have younger players, obviously without the experience. If things don't work out, we have a Plan B that we can go to. We're prepared to go one way or the other.''

That second option casts Mark Bradley, the second-round pick in 2005, in an important role. The Bears have not talked up Bradley like this since drafting him three years ago.

''Mark Bradley has been very productive when given an opportunity to play,'' coach Lovie Smith said. ''From his rookie year on, he's fought injuries and things like that.''

He didn't get much of a chance last season, when he caught just six balls. Angelo said the coaching staff admitted that was a mistake.

Part of the alternative approach might include the draft. With an influx of early entrants, Angelo said wide receiver is a strong position. But in retooling the offense, he'll likely need some experience, maybe someone such as Arizona's Bryant Johnson.

Then there's Bradley again, plus the hope that Devin Hester can blossom as a No. 1 receiver.

''If you grade the flashes, you like what you see because when [Bradley] is on the field, big plays happen,'' Angelo said. ''But he's got to do it on a consistent basis.

''Do we feel good about him? Are we going to have other people competing? Certainly.''

Back of 'Lach
Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher is rehabilitating from neck surgery in Phoenix, while safety Mike Brown is working his way back from a torn left anterior cruciate ligament in San Diego. Smith downplayed the significance of Urlacher's surgery, noting that Urlacher finished the season playing some of his best football of the year. But Urlacher now has at least a minor neck injury to recover from, to go with a chronic back ailment.

''I know, whenever you say 'minor' and you're talking neck, that is a little bit different,'' Smith said. ''But Brian will be fine. We all get older. How did he finish the season? Look at his play.''

Smith and Angelo both said they want to bring back Brown, who turned 30 this month. That likely will require a reworked contract. Brown is scheduled to earn $2.44million and has a cap figure of $3.16 million. He might get that pay, but it probably would require playing-time incentives.

Extra points
The Bears wasted little time replacing assistant special-teams coach Kevin O'Dea, hiring Chris Tabor from Western Michigan, where he coached running backs and special teams. Tabor worked previously with special-teams coordinator Dave Toub at Missouri.

• • Here's one draft scenario that could play out: The Bears trade down from No. 14 and pick an offensive tackle while adding depth in later rounds. There should be enough tackles to go around. The tale of the tape Thursday showed Michigan's Jake Long at 6-7, 313 pounds; Boise State's Ryan Clady at 6-6, 309; and Vanderbilt's Chris Williams at 6-6, 315.

• • The Bears chose the busiest day of the offseason so far to announce an across-the-board hike of ticket prices. All non-club seats will go up $3 or $4 and now range from $68 to $108. Club seats increase $10 each and range from $245 to $350. Invoices to season-ticket holders will be mailed March 7.

The Bears have 30 mil of cap space. The Broncos have a little over half that. There's no way Denver is signing Berrian.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/footb...bear19.article

Bears to Muhsin: Vamoose
Re-sign Brown, offer deals to Briggs, Berrian, Harris

February 19, 2008
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com
The contracts the Bears proposed Monday could reverberate long after the moves they made are forgotten.

General manager Jerry Angelo began the team's offseason reshaping with a flurry of offers, sending contract proposals to linebacker Lance Briggs, defensive tackle Tommie Harris, wide receiver Bernard Berrian and special-teamer Brendon Ayanbadejo.

» Click to enlarge image

The Bears released veteran wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who turns 35 in May.
(AP)

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That came on the same day the team cut ties with right tackle Fred Miller, wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad and defensive tackle Darwin Walker and re-signed defensive end Alex Brown to a two-year, $15.5 million extension.

And the whirlwind of activity occurred two days before the scouting combine in Indianapolis, where team officials are expected to meet with the agent for quarterback Rex Grossman regarding a new deal.

Whew.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus represents the four players the Bears are trying to keep, and it's believed each offer is under consideration with free agency set to open in nine days. All but Harris, who's signed through the 2008 season, will be unrestricted free agents. It has been thought that Briggs was long gone, but an offer at this stage signals a serious commitment to keeping the three-time Pro Bowl selection.
The Bears began the day with $20 million in available salary-cap room, and that number is now near $30 million. Angelo could knock out the majority of his free-agent spending before the market opens if he can find common ground with Rosenhaus and his clients. The Bears then could proceed with a plan to draft an offensive tackle in the first two rounds, add a defensive tackle as insurance for Dusty Dvoracek and be poised to make a third playoff run in four years.

Re-signing Berrian is an important step, considering Devin Hester, Mark Bradley and Mike Hass are the only wide receivers under contract. Berrian had a career-high 71 receptions for 951 yards last season. While most view him as a No. 2 receiver, he could command big bucks in a market thin on wideouts.

Brown didn't have to be coaxed into an extension with two years left on a contract that now has him in place through 2011. He had stated his desire for an extension or trade at the end of the season and was prepared to boycott the offseason program before a deal was brokered by Joel Segal, who also represents Muhammad.

Brown will arrive from Puerto Rico today to sign the contract, which will pay him $5 million up front with salaries of $5 million in 2010 and $5.5 million in 2011.

''Half the battle when you're trying to get a team better is that everyone is happy,'' Brown said. ''I'm definitely happy.''

He lost his starting job to Mark Anderson last season but was considered a third starter by the team. With Anderson sidelined for the last two games, Brown had two sacks, a forced fumble, an interception and four passes defended. Before agreeing to the deal, he spoke with coach Lovie Smith and came away satisfied.

''Nothing has been promised,'' Brown said. ''I will have an opportunity to go in and compete for the job.''

Muhammad turns 35 in May, and while he might have some productive seasons left, it's unlikely he'll be a starter. He had a $500,000 roster bonus due March 4 and was to earn $1.6 million next season. Segal commended the team for the early release.

Muhammad's departure creates an opening for Bradley but doesn't signal an opening for Marty Booker. The ex-Bear will visit the New England Patriots today and could sign before leaving.

Walker was done in by finances; there was no way the team was going to pay him a $5.2 million roster bonus. Miller gutted out an injury-plagued season that required ankle surgery, but the Bears decided to get younger on the line.

MOVING DAY

Are there no Brandon Stokely fans around? He is still pretty decent as a slot receiver isnt he?

Originally Posted by MattWood

Are there no Brandon Stokely fans around? He is still pretty decent as a slot receiver isnt he?

The point of getting another receiver is so we can move and keep Stokely in as a slot receiver.

This should be the only "major" free agent signing we should pursue.

I've been begging for it for weeks. This would be ideal. To me, if we sign Bryant Johnson we basically have in place the same offense for the next 3-5 years outside of the rotating running back and Nalen.

It would be so nice to have a WR tandem that will be content in their roles and play with passion.

Here's hoping we get this done!

It will be nice to have another good down field blocker. Stokely is good in the slot and shouldn't have to be the #2 who struggles to maintain down field blocks. This will not only help Cutler, but our running game.