2008 NFL Draft Weekend Team Thread: Chicago Bears

[Walter34 3]

1st round value with some off field issues says Mayock on nfl network. Tank Jr.

 

I love the picks so far. A G, QB and Manningham would be a nice run between rounds 4-6.

[Sweetness_34 0]

Scout.com had Harrison as the best DT available today....

 

Tommie, Dusty, Harrison and Anthony Adams makes our DT position really solid for years to come.

 

http://mia.scout.com/a.z?s=62&p=2&c=750182

[Sweetness_34 0]

Marcus Harrison, Arkansas

Height: 6-2. Weight: 317.

Projected 40 Time: 4.98.

Combine 40 Time: 5.02.

Benchx225: 26. Vertical 29.

Projected Round: 2-3.

 

Marcus Harrison put on about 10 pounds and still ran a decent 40 at his size. He's definitely in the second- or third-round range.

 

A 310-pound defensive tackle who can run a sub-5.0 40? Think scouts will drool all over him? Harrison missed tons of time with a knee injury, so that'll be a concern.

 

 

Height: 6-23/4 | Weight: 317 | 40-Time: 4.98

 

Official Bio

 

Strengths:

Decent size...Quick with a burst...Can occupy multiple blockers...Stout at the point and does a terrific job against the run...Strong and powerful...Will work off blocks to make the play...Really understands leverage...Offers some versatility and could play either tackle or end depending on the scheme...Might still have some upside.

 

Weaknesses:

Has an inconsistent motor...Does not provide much of a pass rush...Ran into some off-the-field trouble and character is a big concern...Does not make a lot of impact plays...Health and durability are big question marks...Had a lackluster senior year.

 

Notes:

Spent a year at Hargrave Military Academy before college...The first true freshman position player to start a season opener for the Razorbacks since 1982....Tore his left ACL during spring practice in March '07...Was arrested on a felony drug charge in August of '07 after police discovered Ecstasy and marijuana in his car during a traffic stop...Clearly wasn't playing at 100% as a senior...Based on pure talent he should probably come off the board in the first two or three rounds but may drop a bit due to other factors...Has to stay healthy and out of trouble....Boom or bust.

[Hampton 0]

What did the Bear's get after trading down and then out of the 4th?

[The Hood 9]

What did the Bear's get after trading down and then out of the 4th?

1st time was Miami's 4th and 7th. Not sure on the Bucs trade yet.

[The Hood 9]

What did the Bear's get after trading down and then out of the 4th?

 

Bucs trade is their 4th and 5th for Bears 4th and 6th I think.

[DuctTapeMan 0]

1st time was Miami's 4th and 7th. Not sure on the Bucs trade yet.

I think Jerry Angelo wants to have the 7th round all to himself.

[Walter34 3]

Traded picks...

 

Bears D4 (110) to Miami for D4 (115) and D7 (208)

 

Bears D4 (115) and D6 (175) to Tampa Bay for D4 (120) and D5 (158)

 

So now we have two picks in round 5 (QB & G), none in round 6 and five in round 7. (5 more QBs)

[Bishop82 61]

I like the Bears draft so far, they addressed nearly all their needs and got some good value picks as well. Lets just hope they pan out.

 

 

 

Edit: Have the Bears ever traded up in the history of the NFL draft?

[Sweetness_34 0]

Boom or bust pick....if healthy, this could be good CB or FS depth

 

=================

 

Is he injury prone or does he just have bad luck? You be the judge, but one thing I do know is that Bowman was injured once again and missed the entire spring. He underwent successful surgery in mid may (2007) to repair a ruptured patellar tendon that he injured in spring training.

 

That is very unfortunate for a prospect, which with a strong senior season, could have easily emerged as a first round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. To make matters worse, the once talented Bowman missed all of last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He also suffered last season’s injury in pre-season drills.

 

“We feel very badly for Zack,” Nebraska head coach Bill Callahan said Thursday in a prepared statement. “He has worked diligently to rehabilitate his previous injury, and this is a tough setback for him. Zack has a tremendous attitude, and I expect that he will work just as hard to get back on the field this fall.”

 

Bowman contemplated entering the 2007 NFL Draft, but coming off of a major injury the NFL’s draft advisory committee projected him as second-third pick, so he thought he could improve his draft stock by returning to Nebraska for his senior season.

 

The 6’ 1” 200 pound Bowman, originally from Alaska, burst onto the national scene in 2005 after he started the final five games and led the team with 14 pass deflections. Rangy, tough and fast, Bowman has legitimate NFL potential. Due to his history of injuries, he is sure to slip a little in the draft, but if he can stay healthy at the next level, could provide excellent value. Bowman is fast, has a smooth turn and run, excellent explosiveness and will come up and make the tough tackle in the open field. He has an NFL type body, well developed, big and strong, he might even project to free safety in the NFL.

[Sweetness_34 0]

Zack Bowman

Selected by: Chicago Bears

Round: 5

Pick (Overall): 7(142)

CB | (6'0", 197, 4.389) | NEBRASKA

Scouts Grade: 37

 

Flags: (D: DURABILITY) Player that can't stay healthy

 

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Strengths: Possesses an outstanding combination of size and speed. Continues to improve his recognition skills with more experience and is a player with a lot of upside if he continues to develop. Has adequate upper body strength, shows the power to take receivers out of their routes using proper press-coverage technique and is able to match up with bigger receivers when left on an island. Aggressive, attacks the ball when it is in the air and displays above-average ball skills. Shows good leaping ability and times jumps well. Fills hard versus the run and shows enough size and strength to take on bigger blockers/ball carriers. Displays great upside on special teams, especially covering kicks and punts, and should make early contributions in that area.

 

Weaknesses: Missed the entire 2006 season and started just four games last year so lacks ideal playing experience. Still has room to improve in terms of footwork and technique and gets crossed over by quicker wide receivers on double moves. Will open his hips too early at times and is vulnerable to double moves. Despite having very good athleticism for size, a tad bit stiff in the hips and isn't as smooth as you would like when he's forced to turn and run with receivers. Gives good effort in run support but he must improve his consistency as an open-field tackler. Durability is also a pressing concern after missing the entire 2006 season with a torn ligament in his knee, tearing a tendon in his other knee during the offseason prior to 2007 and then missed time with a hamstring injury last year.

 

Overall: Bowman attended New Mexico Military Institute (Roswell, N.M.) in 2003 and 2004, recording 10 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), 22 pass breakups and two forced fumbles on his way to being selected to the junior college All-America team. He transferred to Nebraska in 2005, playing in 11 games (five starts) and finishing the season with 27 tackles, two interceptions and 11 pass breakups. As a senior in 2007, he appeared in 11 games (four starts) and had 29 tackles (one for a loss), one interception and six pass breakups. Bowman missed the entire 2006 season because of a torn ACL in his left knee, and in March '07 he suffered a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee. He also missed one game in '05 because of a leg injury. There's a lot to like about Bowman's blend of speed, size and athletic ability but he is JUCO transfer who has had problems staying healthy the past two seasons so he doesn't have a great deal of experience and it shows at times. As a result, he projects as a sixth round pick.

 

 

* Player biographies are provided by Scouts Inc.

[SmartassBoiler 0]

It would have been cool to draft Mendenhall, but that's not the Bears style. They never make that exciting pick that gets the fans pumped, unfortunately.

 

I was fully expecting them to go LT in the first round, but I was hoping for Otah or Alberts. Given the fact the Bears attempt to build their offense arround a power running game each year, why would they draft a tackle like Williams with concerns about his run blocking instead of a massive road grader like Otah or Alberts?

[CurleyQ 0]

Alberts would have been okay, but I like Williams way more than Otah, based on the reports I read.

[Hampton 0]

A talented secondary player from NEB with injury issues? Never heard of such a thing. Maybe two negatives equal a positive and Brown will stay healty!

[remote controller 133]

Nice last round wideout grab by the Bears!!!!

[The Hood 9]

Well other than ignoring the elephant in the room I'm happy with how they've addressed all the other needs.......hopefully most of these guys pan out and are real players. Some O-line help, an agile RB and WR's with good hands should help to hide some of the problem again.

[jdswan922 0]

I was thrilled with the Monk pick. I hope they can get Adarius Bowman as an UDFA now. Maybe bring in Sam Keller, Xavier Lee, and/or T.C. Ostrander at QB. I hope the Bears have their usual luck with mid-round defensive players. I think Bennett was a great pick. I love Forte. I am a little luke warm on the Williams pick. I would have preferred Albert, but we will see if they made the right pick in the fall.

[Sweetness_34 0]

from fox sports

 

 

Chicago

The Bears may have been tempted to replace departed receiver Bernard Berrian in the first round, but instead may have found their slot receiver in Vanderbilt's Earl Bennett in the third round. Bennett is the first SEC receiver to have 75 receptions for three straight seasons. Top pick Chris Williams has the ability and feet to be a starting left tackle — he allowed only two sacks over a two-year period and almost 1,600 plays. The Bears allowed 43 sacks last season. Williams dominated most drills at the Senior Bowl. Arkansas DT Marcus Harrison was a need, and he played last season on a tender knee that had surgery in the spring. Harrison has first-round talent, but seventh-round character. LSU safety Craig Steltz will remind older Bears fans of Gary Fencik with his tremendous run support. Tulane RB Matt Forte was a need, considering the injury history of Cedric Benson.

Grade: A

 

[windycityguy 1]

I am not thrilled but very happy with this draft. The way I see it this is a team with a lot of needs. And while QB is a big one the offense is full of wholes. Crap at WR and and poo at RB and an old not very good line. They won't win because of Grossman but he and even Orton have proved they can with them. So build the line depth at WR & RB a solid TE core and they offense has a chance to at least be in games. This defense is in need of depth and some new blood. Drafting a QB with out most of the things they drafted would not have helped this coming year.

[Walter34 3]

Overall, I am happy with the results. Yes, the Bears need improvement at QB, but there were many needs on O and all but qb were addressed to some extent:

 

QB - No

RB - Yes

Oline - Yes

WR - Yes

DT - Yes

S - Yes

 

The Bears still only have 2 qbs on the roster, so that 3rd spot still needs a veteran to fill in. Who will that be? I wouldnt mind a vet like Culpepper or leftwich to be signed for this year and then if qb blows up again, then that is next year's drafts focus.

[Sweetness_34 0]

Rick Gosselin - dallasnews.com

GRADE: A

 

The Bears subscribe to the big-school drafting philosophy and found quality throughout the draft. WR Bennett in the third, S Steltz in the fourth, CB Bowman in the fifth and WR Monk in the seventh were all value picks.

 

Mel Kiper Jr. - ESPN

GRADE: B

 

Chris Williams is the left tackle the Bears need from a pass-protection standpoint, and he'll start as a rookie. Matt Forte is a hard-nosed running back. He's not flashy, but he's elusive. I like what the Bears did on Day 2, starting with Vanderbilt WR Earl Bennett, who reminds me of Hines Ward. Arkansas DT Marcus Harrison lasted until the third round because of some off-field concerns, and Nebraska's Zack Bowman is a big corner who was once projected as a first-round pick, before he suffered injuries to both knees. LSU safety Craig Steltz -- who reminds me of former Bear Doug Plank -- will be a solid special teams player and could push for a starting job. With his height, Arkansas WR Marcus Monk could be a red zone threat and he qualifies as a very good seventh-round pick. He looked like a second-rounder after his junior year, and ran a 4.42 in the 40-yard dash, which is excellent for a 6-foot-4, 220-pound receiver. Tight end Kellen Davis has tremendous athletic ability but he needs to be more consistent.

 

 

Pete Prisco - cbssportsline.com

GRADE: B+

 

Best pick: Third-round pick Marcus Harrison will become a force in the middle of their defense. Some off-field issues prevented him from being a higher selection.

 

Questionable move: Taking tackle Chris Williams with the 14th pick in the first round came after several teams took him off their boards for medical reasons (back). Chicago better hope that doesn't become a problem.

 

Second-day gem: I love tight end Kellen Davis, whom the Bears selected in the fifth round. He's a strong, athletic player.

 

Overall grade: B+. Aside from the questions about Williams, they did a nice job. Harrison will make this draft.

 

John Czarnecki - foxsports.com

GRADE: A

 

The Bears may have been tempted to replace departed receiver Bernard Berrian in the first round, but instead may have found their slot receiver in Vanderbilt's Earl Bennett in the third round. Bennett is the first SEC receiver to have 75 receptions for three straight seasons. Top pick Chris Williams has the ability and feet to be a starting left tackle — he allowed only two sacks over a two-year period and almost 1,600 plays. The Bears allowed 43 sacks last season. Williams dominated most drills at the Senior Bowl. Arkansas DT Marcus Harrison was a need, and he played last season on a tender knee that had surgery in the spring. Harrison has first-round talent, but seventh-round character. LSU safety Craig Steltz will remind older Bears fans of Gary Fencik with his tremendous run support. Tulane RB Matt Forte was a need, considering the injury history of Cedric Benson.

[donhaas 18]

Overall, I am happy with the results.

 

I've never seen you nothing but estatic about the Bears drafting results... unfortunately, the Bear players (with their 5 winning seasons over the last 17 years) haven't always backed up your analysis....

 

Just wish I could have seen you pre-FFToday.

 

[Walter34] Rashaan Salaam!!! Another brilliant draft pick!!

Curtis Enis!!! The Bears are set for the decade

Cade McNown... He's going to be a monster -- move over Favre!!!

David Terrell!!! Here comes the next Jerry Rice!!!

Grossman! C. Benson!!! I love it!!! Great picks!!

[/Walter34]

 

 

[Bishop82 61]

I've never seen you nothing but estatic about the Bears drafting results... unfortunately, the Bear players (with their 5 winning seasons over the last 17 years) haven't always backed up your analysis....

 

Weren't you one of those people who thought Devin Hester was going to be a one year wonder like Dante Hall?

 

But, if you watched enough football, you would have seen that Hall and Hester were nothing alike. Hall was elusive and did a lot of "dancing" then ran. However, Hester is just plain fast, no need for dancing, he gets where he wants to go faster than the other team.

 

Let us know how we do in the draft next year too Little Mel Kiper.

[donhaas 18]

Weren't you one of those people who thought Devin Hester was going to be a one year wonder like Dante Hall?

 

But, if you watched enough football, you would have seen that Hall and Hester were nothing alike. Hall was elusive and did a lot of "dancing" then ran. However, Hester is just plain fast, no need for dancing, he gets where he wants to go faster than the other team.

 

Let us know how we do in the draft next year too Little Mel Kiper.

 

I wasn't one of those people. I'm not even sure what you're talking about.

I like Hester and have always liked him.

It's completely possible that I may have said something derogatory about the Bears or to a Bears fan over the years, but it definitely wasn't regarding Hester.

 

 

I don't know why everybody has to be so negative and adversarial all the time. I'm actually a closet Bears fan.

In fact, I think that if everything breaks right for them this season that they could improve to 8-8.

[BMoney 0]

I wasn't one of those people. I'm not even sure what you're talking about.

I like Hester and have always liked him.

It's completely possible that I may have said something derogatory about the Bears or to a Bears fan over the years, but it definitely wasn't regarding Hester.

I don't know why everybody has to be so negative and adversarial all the time. I'm actually a closet Bears fan.

In fact, I think that if everything breaks right for them this season that they could improve to 8-8.

 

 

i have...

 

i think hes 1 of the best kick returners ever and that teams are fools to kick to him...

 

ive said he will never pan out as a WR...(but in fairness..it looks as if thats because they have NO real qb and run him on routes that will kill him..)

 

if they lined up hester at the line...and just threw it to him THERE...let him make 1 move...he'd be gone half the time...5 yard down and ins will kill the guy...

 

i made a boatload of $$ last year riding that train to 8-8..well, under 11.5..easiest pick EVER.. and im ready to ride it this year taking the OVER..as i dont think they are far from winning this division...

 

but they NEED a qb...get rid of rex and his lack of work ethic...bring in trent dilfer to be a role model and keep orton...and as walter says..bring in culpepper..leftwich...

 

but not harrington...

[Sweetness_34 0]

Bears picked Bowman right before Pats wanted him

 

===============

 

Bears grab CB Bowman before Patriots can

 

If the Bears had not grabbed Nebraska cornerback Zak Bowman in the fifth round when they did, he wouldn’t have been on the board again when their turn came again.

 

The Bears selected him at No. 142 overall and went back and grabbed Michigan State tight end Kellen Davis 16 picks later with No. 158, acquired in a fourth-round swap with Tampa Bay.

 

In fact, Bowman would have gone with the very next pick had the Bears passed on him. The New England Patriots had a deal in place with Jacksonville to move up and acquire No. 143 and their intention was to select Bowman. They were paying close attention to the Cornhuskers as they selected linebacker Bo Ruud in the sixth round. New England was going to deal its pick at No. 153 and obviously something else to make the jump.

 

 

When Bowman went off the board, the trade was nixed and the Jaguars found a partner in Dallas, who used the pick on another cornerback in Orlando Scandrick of Boise State.

 

Bowman has dealt with knee injuries but indications from scouts are that he was on his way to being a very high draft pick before becoming hurt in 2006. He worked out well over the winter and should be in good shape for action this summer.

 

``We feel comfortable with where he can go,’’ coach Lovie Smith said. ``It’s hard getting corners 6-feet tall with [his] type of speed. We are anxious to get our hands on him and start working with him to see where we can help him go.’’

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patr...h_genes/?page=2

[Walter34 3]

I've never seen you nothing but estatic about the Bears drafting results... unfortunately, the Bear players (with their 5 winning seasons over the last 17 years) haven't always backed up your analysis....

 

Just wish I could have seen you pre-FFToday.

 

[Walter34] Rashaan Salaam!!! Another brilliant draft pick!!

Curtis Enis!!! The Bears are set for the decade

Cade McNown... He's going to be a monster -- move over Favre!!!

David Terrell!!! Here comes the next Jerry Rice!!!

Grossman! C. Benson!!! I love it!!! Great picks!!

[/Walter34]

 

 

Cmon Donnie - just making stuff up is silly. You should be better than that. Regurgitating the same old lines whether it be about the Bears Lions or Queens doesnt make it funny, just repetitive tripe. Bring some new lines to the table so that the lies will actually be entertaining at least.

 

Its not like I am high fiving over trading up for a punter. <cough, cough>

 

If you disagree with the picks, spell it out for us. Enlighten us with your insight.

[FlaHawker 24]

Scout.com had Harrison as the best DT available today....

 

Tommie, Dusty, Harrison and Anthony Adams makes our DT position really solid for years to come.

 

http://mia.scout.com/a.z?s=62&p=2&c=750182

Rex at QB = NEGLIGENT and will suck for years to come

[worm 34]

I might sound crazy for this, but it's something I wanted to ask. I know you guys signed a couple UDFA QB's, but what would you think of bringing in Culpepper? Doesn't look like he'll go to Green Bay, but do you think your organization would be interested?

[bno70_1 0]

Who's the Qb this year?

[Walter34 3]

I might sound crazy for this, but it's something I wanted to ask. I know you guys signed a couple UDFA QB's, but what would you think of bringing in Culpepper? Doesn't look like he'll go to Green Bay, but do you think your organization would be interested?

 

I would like to see them sign him as the 3rd qb and let him compete for any of the 3 spots.

[Walter34 3]

Who's the Qb this year?

 

As of now, open competition with Rex as the favourite.

[Sweetness_34 0]

Rex will win the starting job easily, and he should. When you give Rex time, he has one of the best deep throws in the game. Drafting Chris Williams is only going to help there.

 

Also, Kiper loves the UDFApick up that the Bears made. This draft had average QBs at best and the post 3rd round QBs all had major issues (for eg: Woodson's slow release ala Leftwich will never work in the NFL etc)

 

=================

 

Kiper: Bears improved the most

By Vaughn McClure

 

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said the Bears helped themselves more than any other team in the draft. He lauded them for drafting Chris Williams, Matt Forte and Earl Bennett to help the quarterbacks, then raved that Craig Steltz is a Doug Plank-type safety.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/...89&n8pe6c=2

 

Kiper went on to say the Bears got a free-agent steal in Colorado State quarterback Caleb Hanie. Kiper said Hanie has ``a big arm, an NFL arm.’’ He expects Hanie to earn the No. 3 quarterback spot and possibly become the starter in the future.

[Sweetness_34 0]

Caleb Hanie video

 

 

[Sweetness_34 0]

Nice article summarizing the Bears draft.

 

I particularly love fact #1. For all the hate that people tend to have for Grossman, he is the best QB in the division....how many SBs have Kitna, Aaron R and Tavaris been to? That's right....

 

===============

 

April 30, 2008

Search ChicagoSports.com Web enhanced by Please register or log in Chicago BearsHome :: Bears

Updated: 10:53 PM

 

A knowing (early) assessment of Bears' draft

David Haugh | On the Bears

10:48 PM CDT, April 29, 2008

 

It generally takes three years to assess the impact of an NFL draft accurately. But after three days, here are 10 things I know now about the Bears that I didn't know before last weekend's draft.

 

1. I know that despite all the silly hand-wringing in Chicago over not drafting a quarterback, I would rather go into next season with the Bears' top two quarterbacks, Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton, than, say, the Packers'—Aaron Rodgers and Brian Brohm—if the priority is winning in 2008. Green Bay might have positioned itself better for the future at the position but not the present, not with Grossman and Orton bringing a combined 52 NFL starts to training camp compared with zero for Rodgers and Brohm. And remember, the Bears' 2008 draft, for a change, was more about now than later.

 

2. I know the Tampa Bay Buccaneers currently own the rights to seven quarterbacks after taking San Diego's Josh Johnson in the fifth round, and one of them likely to get cut would look good holding a clipboard for the Bears. Chris Simms would be the preferred choice, but Luke McCown or Bruce Gradkowski would suffice so the Bears could let the winner of the Nick Hill-Caleb Hanie derby stay on the practice squad and run the scout team.

 

 

3. I know I am in the uncomfortable position of agreeing wholeheartedly with Mel Kiper Jr. that the Bears improved as much, if not more, than any other team in the draft. Whether that means they went from a 6-10 team to a 7-9 one or from 8-8 to 9-7, well, that will take training camp to crystallize those projections.

 

The offense, which could include new starters at as many as six positions, received an instant upgrade as long as left tackle Chris Williams and running back Matt Forte start from Day 1, even if it means matching up Williams on Colts right defensive end Dwight Freeney. Remember too that Grossman and Orton immediately improved with the addition of rookies likely to bolster the Bears' pass protection and running game.

 

4. I know I now am looking forward to the Aug. 16 exhibition in Seattle between the Bears and Seahawks for more than just the cappuccino and the view. It should be worth the trip to see Williams line up against rookie defensive tackle Red Bryant, their fourth-round pick from Texas A & M.

 

Bryant is the guy Williams wisely backed away from during a stupid Senior Bowl skirmish after a meaningless practice drill, only to have some people interpret that as a weakness. The best revenge for Williams is to run onto the field with the No. 1 offense, dominate Bryant if given the opportunity and outlast him in the league by at least five seasons.

 

5. I know Arkansas wide receiver Marcus Monk considered entering the NFL draft after his junior season, had two procedures performed on his knee in August that ruined his senior year and at 6 feet 4 inches and 222 pounds is a good enough athlete to have played for the Razorbacks basketball team too.

 

The injury dropped Monk to the 248th pick in the seventh round—four spots higher than where another late-round, big-receiver risk with average speed went two years ago when the Saints took 6-4 Marques Colston. Colston had 168 catches and 19 touchdowns in his first two seasons. Neither Monk nor 6-7 tight end Kellen Davis of Michigan State is assured of making the Bears' 53-man roster, but if they do, offensive coordinator Ron Turner could have two more options in the red zone.

 

6. I know that of all the post-draft analysis, the most illogical involves criticism of the Bears for taking two players off a 5-7 Vanderbilt team that routinely finishes in the lower half of the SEC. Big deal. So the Bears have to find their players off traditional college powerhouses? Three fairly recent examples are enough to point out the flaws in that logic: Cedric Benson (Texas), David Terrell (Michigan) and Cade McNown (UCLA).

 

The success of a team in college, Vanderbilt or anybody else, has nothing to do with the future success of a player on that team. In the case of Williams and wide receiver Earl Bennett, they starred against SEC defenses that typically are the most athletic in the country and attack in a style copied from the NFL. The best players on bad college teams such as Williams and Bennett might enter the NFL tougher mentally for having coped with the adversity of losing.

 

7. I know better than to make predictions in April based on game tape. But, based on rookie video and veteran history, it wouldn't surprise me at all if safety Craig Steltz—the Bears' best second-day pick from this seat—has more interceptions next season than Mike Brown, if Forte has more yards and touchdowns than Benson or if Bennett has more receptions than Mark Bradley.

 

8. I know anybody doubting Jerry Angelo's resolve in the ongoing Brian Urlacher dispute probably didn't hear Angelo answering the question on WMVP-AM: "Is Brian Urlacher holding a gun to your head?" Angelo replied, "If he is, it's filled with water." That's pretty bold for a guy who isn't negotiating through the media.

 

9. I know the Bears could do worse than kicking the tires on Raiders salary-cap casualty Dominic Rhodes to see how many miles he has left. Rhodes, if healthy and intent on proving he still belongs after a troubled season in Oakland, could provide a solid running back complement to Forte that would pack more oomph than anything Benson would provide.

 

The Bears could try to duplicate the Indianapolis 2006 model when Rhodes complemented then-rookie Joseph Addai. If the Bears are committed to another long look at Garrett Wolfe, then Wolfe could fit as a third-down option with dependable Adrian Peterson returning to special teams to fill that void.

 

10. I know the Bears signing St. Xavier kicker Shane Longest, of Wilmington, was more than just a goodwill gesture. Longest, the most apt surname for any kicker, was one of four at his position invited to the scouting combine after booting a 55-yarder and scoring 317 career points. Most interesting, adding Longest could indicate the Bears realize how unhappy Robbie Gould is with his contract and that Gould has braced for a protest that could go beyond him skipping voluntary workouts.

 

dhaugh@tribune.com

[Sweetness_34 0]

After watching all of Jerry's drafts, I have come to the conclusion that Jerry will always go against the grain (and many times go with smaller schools) in the 2nd round. Keep that mind next year when you are trying to predict/make mock drafts for the Bears. The 2nd round pick will not be someone you will be able to predict. Here is the list of players, every one of which was not someone thought would be picked in the 2nd round by the Bears.... get my point? Also, Jerry has generaly been successful since Hester and Tillman were home runs; Tank was/is solid but character issues created a quick departure from the Bears; and the jury is still out on Forte, Bazuin, Bradley and Manning....in a couple of years, we will know about them too.

 

2008, 44 overall, Matt Forte RB Tulane

2007, 62 overall, Dan Bazuin DE Central Michigan

2006, 42 overall, Danieal Manning DB Abilene Christian

2006, 57 overall, Devin Hester WR Miami (FL)

2005, 39 overall, Mark Bradley WR Oklahoma

2004, 47 overall, Tank Johnson DT Washington

2003, 35 overall, Charles Tillman DB Louisiana-Lafayette

[Foghorn Leghorn 0]

Nice article summarizing the Bears draft.

 

I particularly love fact #1. For all the hate that people tend to have for Grossman, he is the best QB in the division....how many SBs have Kitna, Aaron R and Tavaris been to? That's right....

 

 

1. I know that despite all the silly hand-wringing in Chicago over not drafting a quarterback, I would rather go into next season with the Bears' top two quarterbacks, Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton, than, say, the Packers'—Aaron Rodgers and Brian Brohm—if the priority is winning in 2008. Green Bay might have positioned itself better for the future at the position but not the present, not with Grossman and Orton bringing a combined 52 NFL starts to training camp compared with zero for Rodgers and Brohm. And remember, the Bears' 2008 draft, for a change, was more about now than later.

 

 

dhaugh@tribune.com

 

So a reporter that covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune thinks that Bears Rex Grossman is the best QB in the division?

 

Then I guess it's so.

[jdswan922 0]

So a reporter that covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune thinks that Bears Rex Grossman is the best QB in the division?

 

Then I guess it's so.

Actually, the reporter's view was that Grossman and Orton are more proven QBs than Rodgers and Brohm. It was the poster's comment that they are the best.

 

Since we are on the QB topic, I have read some pretty good things about Nick Hill. Anyone see him play at SIU? Opinions?

[Arsenal 3]

Nice article summarizing the Bears draft.

 

I particularly love fact #1. For all the hate that people tend to have for Grossman, he is the best QB in the division....how many SBs have Kitna, Aaron R and Tavaris been to? That's right....

 

I kind of agree that Grossman takes a little more slack than he really deserves. Not sure I would go so far as to call him the best in the division, but there are no proven standouts in that bunch so far so its pretty much a tossup.

 

That being said, it still seems pretty short sighted not to make a little more of an investment in the position when there was good value to be had at that position.