BEARS
Briggs calls it quits
CHICAGO — Lance Briggs, a seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker who helped the Chicago Bears reach the Super Bowl, plans to retire.
Exhibition schedule
All times Central
New Orleans at Green Bay, 6 p.m.
Baltimore at Atlanta, 6 p.m.
Cincinnati at Indianapolis, 6 p.m.
Philadelphia at NY Jets, 6 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Miami, 6 p.m.
Jacksonville at Washington, 6:30 p.m.
Carolina at Pittsburgh, 6:30 p.m.
Buffalo at Detroit, 6:30 p.m.
NY Giants at New England, 6:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Tennessee, 7 p.m.
Cleveland at Chicago, 7 p.m.
Houston at Dallas, 7 p.m.
Kansas City at St. Louis, 7 p.m.
Arizona at Denver, 8 p.m.
Oakland at Seattle, 9 p.m.
San Diego at San Francisco, 9 p.m.
Briggs said Wednesday afternoon during CSN Chicago’s telecast of the Cubs’ game against the Reds at Wrigley Field that he is ready to call it a career.
He said he plans to submit his retirement papers soon, although he did not completely shut the door on playing again for the right offer.
“If somebody called me and they said, ‘Hey Lance, we’d like you to come play football,’ I’m gonna say ‘I’m happily gonna retire,’” Briggs said. “And if they said ‘well, Lance, you know we’re gonna offer you this,’ I’m gonna say ‘well, there’s a good chance you’re gonna have a new football player.’”
A third-round pick out of Arizona in 2003, Briggs played 12 seasons for Chicago and made seven consecutive Pro Bowls. Along with Brian Urlacher, he led a defense that consistently ranked among the league’s best in his prime, and helped the 2006 team win the NFC Championship before losing to Indianapolis in the Super Bowl.
Briggs had 16 interceptions, 15 sacks and 5 touchdowns in his career. But after missing just four games from 2003 to 2012, Briggs struggled to stay healthy the past two seasons.
He played in just eight games in 2014, missing three because of a rib injury and the final five because of a groin injury. Briggs’ commitment was also called into question when he missed a practice the week of the opener to open a restaurant near his hometown of Sacramento, Calif.
The Bears finished 5-11 and made sweeping changes, hiring General Manager Ryan Pace and Coach John Fox. Briggs met with the San Francisco 49ers in March, but drew minimal interest as a free agent.
RAIDERS
Oakland signs LB Alexander
ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Oakland Raiders have signed free agent linebacker Lorenzo Alexander.
The Raiders waived linebacker Horace Miller on Wednesday to make room on the roster.
Alexander is entering his ninth NFL season. He has played for Washington and Arizona and spent time on the practice squads for Carolina and Baltimore in his career.
Alexander has played 111 games with 154 tackles, 9 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries and 6 passes defensed. He also has 94 special teams tackles in his career.
49ERS
DeBartolo a Hall finalist
CANTON, Ohio — Former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr. is a finalist for the 2016 class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor.
DeBartolo was nominated Wednesday by the nine-member contributors committee. Elections will be held Feb. 6, the night before the Super Bowl. DeBartolo, 68, must receive 80 percent of the ballots to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
Under DeBartolo’s ownership, the 49ers won five Super Bowls in the 1980s and ’90s. They won at least 10 games in 17 seasons and appeared in 10 conference title games.
“I’m truly humbled,” DeBartolo said when notified that he is a finalist. “My football life is going through my mind right now.”
PANTHERS
QB signs 2-year deal
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Carolina Panthers have signed backup quarterback Derek Anderson to a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the team through the 2017 season, providing depth and experience behind Cam Newton.
Financial terms of the deal were not announced Wednesday.
Anderson joined Carolina as a free agent in 2011 but didn’t see much action his first three seasons. He started two games last season against Tampa Bay and won both, helping the Panthers win their second consecutive NFC South title.
Anderson, 32, completed 65 of 97 passes for 701 yards with 5 touchdowns and no interceptions in 2014, registering a passer rating of 105.2.
Panthers Coach Ron Rivera said that he has “tremendous confidence” in Anderson and he provides “stability to the quarterback position as the backup.”