Come To Think of It: Plaxico Burress to Bears Worth a “Shot”
Published by Bob Warja on June 15, 2009
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
If the case against former Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress results in another adjournment on Monday, as expected, then he instantly becomes a target for teams that need a premium wideout.
And one of those teams wears blue and orange with “GSH” on the sleeves.
Currently, there are three teams that are said to be interested in Burress, including the Bears. One can expect the competition to increase if he is not facing jail time this season.
For Chicago, he could be the missing ingredient to an offense that was upgraded significantly in the offseason.
The Bears acquired a top notch QB in Jay Cutler and signed Orlando Pace to bolster the offensive line.
With a solid running back in Matt Forte and good tight end play, the team only needs help at the wide receiver position to complete its offensive makeover.
The move would not come without serious risk.
First of all, Burress has not always been the most team-friendly player.
Perhaps more critical, however, is the very real possibility that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will suspend the wideout. He could wait until after Plaxico is signed before making that ruling.
Bears GM Jerry Angelo is suddenly a “roll the dice” risk-taker, and Plaxico Burress might be his next gamble.
Burress is very tempting if, as his attorney Benjamin Brafman confidently suggests, he will be able to play this coming season.
“As far as I’m concerned, if he wants to play this year, he’s able to play,” Brafman said, according to the New York Daily News. “We will be in and out of the court of Monday morning by 9:15.”
Meanwhile, a date for the adjournment “has yet to be determined,” Brafman told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio. “If there is going to be a trial in this case, it will not be until 2010. That is my best guess.”
Burress, who was released by the Giants this offseason, faces felony gun charges stemming from an accidental, self-inflicted shooting last November inside a New York nightclub.
Now, there are no guarantees that the Bears are going to be Super Bowl contenders even if they upgrade the receiver position. No one knows, for example, if Chris Williams can play, or if they will have improved play from a defense seemingly on the decline.
Will Tommie Harris be healthy enough to return to form? Will the corner play improve, and will there be any semblance of a pass rush? Furthermore, they need help at safety.
Still, it would be difficult for Angelo to pass on a top-10 wideout who would instantly be the Bears’ best receiver.
Here’s hoping that Plaxico doesn’t shoot off his mouth and that Angelo doesn’t shoot himself in the foot. Or should that be stated the other way around, come to think of it?
