ASHKUM BEAR

Thanks! I love mock drafting for the Bears. Draft day is a lot like Christmas for me, lots of hope then a lot of Whos? Whats?

I also recall hearing that the Bears lined up their best 5 and didn't want to change it anymore this year. I think if they can get a great LG, more so in FA than the draft right now, draft Pouncey to play RG since he's better run blocking, they'd be a lot better. We need to stick with Williams and get our value. We all talked about how a great LG like Faneca at the time would help a young LT, but the Bears screwed that all up. One thing they don't understand is drafting and setting that player up to succeed. You can't put a young talent on an island alone. Cutler for instance needs a line and experienced WR's that can run the right routes. He's got the talent, but without scrambling every play for your life and WR's that give up a route, he'll always look bad. We talked about the w/ Grossman/Orton/Benson also.

....and here is my mock to go along with this: RD1 Mike Pouncey G FL...............starting RG replacing Garza RD2 Marvin Austin DT NC...........rotational player RD3 Tim Barnes C Miz...............sits behind Kreutz 1 yr RD4 Terrance Tolliver WR LSU.....Big WR target, see how TC goes RD5 Richard Sherman CB Stan....smart CB, can compete w/ Jennings, Bowman, Graham, & Moore RD6 Vidal Hazelton WR Cincy......Big, Fast, Raw WR talent

The Combine starts up this weekend, so get ready for some drooling over potential prospects that the Bears may covet. Here is my list of prospects I will try to watch: Round One prospects in our reach Gabe Carimi OT Wis - 6-7 315 35-1/4 arm Little raw to play LT, but is a beast in the run game. Has potential to be a great RT. Gabe will probably get drafted a few slots ahead of the Bears, but he has to be on the Bears war room board. He can solidify the RT and improve the run game. The Bears may be hesitate to take another RT project since they like the potential of JaMarcus Webb. Nate Solder OT Colorado - 6-8 314 35" arm Since he struggled at the senior bowl, his stock status will most likely drop to the late 20's. Nate's athletism puts him at LT. Solder has been all over the mock draft boards, but the Bears will take a look and evaluate if he can push Omiyale/Williams for the LT position. If they feel Solder has potential to be better than the two, the Bears should not think twice. Stefen Wisniewski C/G - 6-3 298 Wisniewski is probably the top Center prospect in the draft. He plays with good leverage and technique, toughness, and smarts. The Bears really need to start thinking of finding Olins replacement. Olin will probably put in one more year before hanging it up. Wisniewski can step in right away, but a year of learning will probably help him in the long run. In that time, he can compete for a G position. Mike Pouncey G/C Florida - 6-5 320 Pouncey can play Center, but his best fit in football will be at Guard. He is strong, athletic, and a mualer in the run game. Pouncey, I think is the ideal player for the Bears to draft. Garza is up there in age and Williams is just not getting it makes G the Bears biggest hole on the line. Pouncey will automatically be better than them two and improve the line as a whole. Drake Nevis DT LSU 6-1 287 Nevis's best position might be with a team the utilizes the 3 technique. He is a little small for most teams DT, but he was disruptive, quick to the ball, and played hard. If the Bears feel replacing Tommie Harris will get them over the hump and win the Superbowl, I have no problem drafting a 3T DT with the first. I did think the rotation of Toenia/Harris was effective, even though not disruptive. Nevis could be that guy especially with Angelo/Smith's defensive scouting eyes. Round Two prospects: Marvin Austin DT NC 6-3 305 Austin is a disruptive force in the middle. Good enough to be first round talent, but his troubles will take him out of round 1 and possibly round 2. If the Bears pass on Nevis, they probably will keep their fingers crossed that Austin falls to them. Austin has a good sense to find the QB. He is quick off the snap, strong, with a high motor and he should have fresh legs after missing most of last season. He may be able to fit 2004/2005 Tommie Harris shoes. Ras-I Dowling CB Virginia 6-2 200 Good height and frame, can run with WR's, can play press or zone. Dowlilng can be first round talent if his tackling was better. If the Bears move Tillman to FS like mentioned earlier, they may look CB early. They did like Bowman and Graham earlier, but them two must of done enough to get in Lovie's dog house. They were also high on Moore, but he was redshirted all year. Jake Kirkpatrick C TCU 6-2 301 31-1/2 arm Second highest rated pure center in the draft. Only played one year of highschool football. If the Bears really want to rebuild for Jay Cutler, then the offensive line should take priority. Kirkpatrick can sit behind Kruetz for a year and learn from one of the best (which was many years ago). Round 3 prospects: Greg Little WR NC Joseph Barksdale RT LSU John Moffit G Wis Casey Matthews ILB Oregon Tim Barnes C Missouri Rashad Carmichael CB Virginia Tech Curtis Brown CB Texas Round 4 prospects: Terrance Tolliver WR LSU Greg Salas WR Hawaii James Carpenter G Ark Pat Devlin QB Deleware Lawrence Wilson LB Con RD5 Jonas Moulton LB Mich Richard Sherman CB Stanford DeMarcus VanDyke CB Miami Cecil Shorts III WR Mt Union Ronald Johnson WR USC Steve Schilling G Mich James Brewer OT Ind Nathan Enderle QB Idaho RD6 DeAndre Brown WR Sou Miss Vidal Hazelton WR Cincy Justin Moren G Ohio St Derek Hall OT Stanford Taylor Potts QB Tex Tech

Mixed feelings about it, but this D is built for Lovie. We were pretty close to another Superbowl and I would rather try a few more years with this D and Lovie than start over. We are an offensive line, CB, and DT away IMO.

Austin is sitting at the top of RD3 right now on Draft Tek, so I'll revise b/c I like this one better (of course using Drafttek's 7 RD simulator) Chicago trades out of the first w/ New England for their first pick in the 2nd RD and they also aquire their 4th RD pick 124, according to the trade value chart Chicago loses by a few points. 2-33 Leonard Hankerson WR Mia 6-3 215 2-62 Marvin Austin DT UNC 6-3 305 3-93 Tim Barnes C Miz 6-4 310 4-124 Greg Romeus DE PIT 6-5 270 4-125 John Moffit G Wis 6-5 323 5-157 Willie Smith LT E Car 6-5 290 6-189 Rashad Carmichael CB VT 5-11 190

Bears offseason priorities IMO: 1 Take care of their own a.) Olin Kreutz - ask him if he can go for 2 more yrs, he's not playing for anyone else. He said he may retire b.) Caleb Haine - Still not a guy you want running the helm if Jay goes down for long, but not much out there better c.) Pisa Tinoisamoa - Solid guy next to Url/Briggs. Remember the SLB takes on more blocks and thats the scheme. d.) Corey Graham - Can fill in spot duty at CB, but great ST. Worth an extension imo e.) Daniel Manning - Seems like he's becoming "demanding", make a minium offer. Hate to see him returning against us. f.) Anthony Adams - He seemed to run out of gas later in the season, but rotational player. So the guys I would like to retain are not the most important guys on the team, but solid contributors. Not going to break any banks for this group. But keeping them will allow team to catch back up in the draft. 2 Key FA acquisitions a.) Vincent Jackson/Sydney Rice - The team needs a go to guy that can get up and pull down Cutlers high balls. Taking Rice from the Queens can work 2 ways for improving the Bears. Kinda like Chestor Taylor as Minny missed the 3rd down back. b.) Logan Mankins - Improving the offensive line any way possible is the biggest key to the Bears success. 3 NFL Draft 1-29 Tyron Smith LOT USC - First round picks need to be spent on key positions. Can Chris Williams/Omiyale excel and be the LT 6 yrs from now? Most likely not, so Smith can learn from Tice, add some more weight and possibly be the future anchor of the line. 2-62 Mike Pouncey OG/C Florida - Pouncey will solidify the other Guard spot opposite of Mankins until Kreutz hangs it up. 3-93 Marvin Austin DT NC - Suspended last year and character issues made Austin a risk, but he fits the Harris mold. 4-125 Richard Sherman CB Stanford - at 6-2 191 pounds Sherman has decent size and looked good at the Senior Bowl 5-157 Derrick Locke RB Kentucky - 5-8 186 4.4 speed. He played much bigger at the senior bowl, probably go RD3? 6-189 Ross Homan OLB Ohio St - Can take on blocks and play the pass, along w/ tackle. Fits the SLB for the Bears. WR S Rice WR E Bennett RT J Webb RG MP ouncey C Olin Kreutz LG L Mankins LT C. Williams/Smith TE Olsen WR Knox QB J Cutler RB M Forte CB P Tillman DE J. Peppers DT T Harris DT A Adams DE I Idonje CB T Jennings OLB P Tinoismoa MLB B Urlacher OLB L Briggs SS C Harris FS M Wright/D Manning

Hester's record break/Favre career ending sack- I will remember for my lifetime since I was at that game! Bears beating GB Monday Night - at that game also (seen another Hester Ret TD)

By all means, this was a successful year! No one predicted the Bears as a #2 seed. At best we had some predictions as a wildcard. I'm happy as long as we show up and put up a hell of a fight. I like our chances, the teams that really put fear in me are two teams we beat (GB and PHI). They have defenses that attack the QB and that is our biggest weakness and quick striking offenses. We got to try some things out up at GB, so we have some knowledge of what won't work. If we can shutdown the high power offense of NO or slow down the balanced attack of ATL, which I can see, our Bears have a legit shot. I'm predicting a rematch CHI vs IND!!!

1. Packers 2. Vikings - and their stupid annoying horn 3. Cowboys - they are not americas team, so enough w/ every prime time game 4. ESPN-they hate CHI. Draft coverage they go to commercial, hi-lites they show farve, sanchez, anything but a good play by CHI 5. Jerry Angelo's draft strategy-So many blown drafts, no offensive linemen.

If we do extend Lovie, I would also look at putting that in line with Urlachers contract. Lovies defense revolves alot out of the ability of Urlacher to take away the middle of the field. I would shoot him a 2-3 year extension, take it or leave it.

I wonder if one of the WR's got injured b/c Rashied Davis was also on the field a lot.

Made the journey to Minneapolis and at first I was bitter with the situations. Not only was the game a classic being outdoors in Minnesota, but seeing Farve's last salute, the Bears clinch, and best of all for me-Hester's NFL record made that game a memory for a lifetime. Hester will go down as a great, surely not a top 10 all time, but a legend in his own making. He has a very good chance of being a HOF'er but right now that's iffy. The record is broke and the Superbowl kick off will help, but he will need to make it untouchable IMO.

Well I make lemonaide out of these lemons! Had sweet tickets for the dome 35 yd line, 20 rows up behind the Bears. Now gonna freeze my arse off, I have no idea where are seats are???, and it's a college stadium = no alcohol! grrrr

Well I'll make lemonaide out of these lemons! Had sweet tickets for the dome 35 yd line, 20 rows up behind the Bears. Now gonna freeze my arse off and I have no idea where are seats are??? grrrr

I think we need to really take Moffitt also in RD3, forget the DT. Then next year draft two OT RDs 1 and 2 to push/replace Williams and Omiyale. Let Tice draft his own guys to groom.

After watching the Bears continue to get stuffed on the goal line, Jerry Angelo better draft oline (once again). I want to see us bring in some big gritty porkers that can control the line for years. Other needs I see DT, Harris is done. CB to bring depth/competition. RB-change of pace back w/ top end speed. DE to keep pressure on competition. LB to replace Hunter and play ST. 1-26 Mike Pouncey G Florida 6-5 320 Can play center also, but projects as a guard. Strength is his power at the point of attack and athleticism. 2-58 Kristopher O'Dowd C USC 6-5 298 Extemely strong center that excels in the run game. 3-90 Colby Whitlock DT Texas Tech 6-2 287 4-122 Mario Butler CB Georgia Tech 6-1 182 4.42 40 5-154 Derrick Locke RB Kentucky 5-9 190 4.37 40 6-186 Eddie Jones DE Texas 6-3 260 4.71 40 7-218 Jonus Moulton LB Michigan 6-2 228 4.56 40 Chris Williams LT --Mike Pouncey LG --Kristopher O'Dowd C--Lance Louis RG -- Frank Omiyale RT

With at least 7 picks in next years draft, lets hope we use 2 out of the top 4 on Oline next year. Highly unlikely, but well need 2 guards and possibly a RT real soon. I still have hope for Omiyale and now that we have a coach known for grooming Oline, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Looking over the whole draft now, there's only one pick I would've made different if I were GM. But overall, with 5 selections that we took in the given slot, JA did alright. I guess CB depth was more important than OG depth in their eyes. Well see. RD3 - Major Wright FS - Best S on the board. He's a vocal leader and started as a Freshman for Florida. RD4 - Corey Wooten DE - If it weren't for an injury, he wouldve been RD1 talent. Depth needed if Anderson leaves next yr RD5 - Mitch Petrus OG - Powerful interior lineman that would improve anyones run game. RD6 - Dan LeFavour QB - Looking at what else we couldve taken, I'm very happy with QB. Other considerations: Ramon Harewood OT, Myron Rolle SS, Kyle Calloway OT. RD7 - J'Marcus Webb OT - Young big kid Tice can work on molding.

I've heard a lot of positive news on Iglesias from other Bears. Iglesias likely will have a hard time seeing the field, but catches everything and can get the YAC. Maybe if we start seeing 4 WR packages with Martz, this kid will get an opportunity.

I'm debating Miami which is a Thurs night game or the Buffalo game for my away game. Trying to travel once a year. Last year did Cincy.

With the Bears? Awesome!

Here's my take: RD3 Myron Lewis CB/S Vanderbilt -6-2 203 Great size/speed combo, can blitz, good hands, run stopper, long arms. --->similar to Tillman, one of the two will move to FS RD4 Zane Beadles G Utah - 6-4 310 Smart and very fundementally sound, good run blocker, works hard/stays on block --->Allows Oyimale to move to RT RD5 Brandon Spikes LB Florida 6-3 250 Run stuffer, great awareness and recognition, coverage. Slipping after combine. ---->3rd RD+ talent that slid b/c of poor 40 time and character issues. Game on field better than combine in shorts showed. RD6 John Estes C Hawaii -6-2 295 Short arms but high fb IQ with toughness, quick and balanced. ---->Clone of Kreutz, comes from the cradel of centers. RD7 Danny Batten DE S. Dakota St- Natural run stopper, leader & high effort. ----->Marinelli project to find someone to play opposite of Peppers FA signees: Malcom Sheppard DT Alabama 6-2 285 Ideal for one gap, good lat-quickness, explosive in pass rush, good instincts. Naaman Roosevelt WR Buffalo 6-0 190 Good route runner, reaches top speed quickly, gets seperation, smart, proto-slot WR.

I don't have a problem with them cutting Brown. He was a player I liked and respected, but with the addition of Peppers, Brown became expendable. Peppers has had more success playing RDE Brown, even though it's unknown, hasn't tried the LDE Mark Anderson played fairly well filling in for Ogun at LDE Idonje can also play LDE Melton has made big strides and coaching staff is liking him So even though Brown was a respected player, the 5 million dollar question was can he play LDE or move from side to side like Peppers likes to do through out the game. The Bears are betting he can't and thought enough of the others to back their decision. I also like them looking to develop a guy like Melton.

Great reply. This will get me some names to look up and follow throught the pro days. The draft is only a month away and it is so hard to follow this year with no picks until RD3.