Lovie has “no idea” if Briggs will show up for mandatory camp

Two weeks from now the Chicago Bears will host the team’s first mandatory mini-camp. Unfortunately, head coach Lovie Smith is anything but optimistic when it comes to whether or not disgruntled linebacker Lance Briggs will show up.

“I have no idea,” Smith said at the conclusion of the weekend’s rookie mini-camp. “That’s the first thing we’ve done that’s mandatory, so I assume he’ll be there. But if not, we’ll go from there.”

Earlier in the offseason Lance Briggs (and super-agent Drew Rosenhaus) decided that the franchise tag simply isn’t enough for someone of Briggs caliber. In response, Briggs has threatened to hold out and sit out the first ten games of the 2007 season.

Chicago tried to deal the linebacker in a trade, but only major pending offer came from Washington. The Redskins offered to swap first round draft choices (thus, moving the Bears up to 6th overall) in exchange for Briggs. Unfortunately, that’s about as far as things got in negotiations. The Bears said that the offer wasn’t enough, despite having limited leverage because of Briggs insistence he will sit out if he is not traded. A trade at this point is unlikely, though not entirely impossible.