Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs says he will retire

Lance Briggs, a seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker who helped the Chicago Bears reach the Super Bowl, plans to retire.

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 five touchdowns in his career. But after missing just four games from 2003 to 2012, Briggs struggled to stay healthy the last 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.

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.

CSN announced Wednesday he will serve as a studio analyst on the network’s pre- and postgame coverage shows of the Bears.

Carolina signs Anderson to extension

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 straight NFC South title.

Anderson, 32, completed 65 of 97 passes for 701 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions in 2014, registering a passer rating of 105.2.

Etc.

The Oakland Raiders 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. ...

The Bears acquired tight end Khari Lee from the Houston Texans for a 2017 sixth-round draft pick. A product of Division II Bowie State, Lee entered the league as an undrafted free agent this year. ...

The New York Giants re-signed placekicker Chris Boswell. New York made the move because veteran Josh Brown bruised his leg two weeks ago when he made a tackle against Jacksonville. Boswell was in the Giants’ training camp until being waived on Aug. 16. He will play on Thursday in the Giants’ exhibition finale against the New England Patriots.