ASHKUM BEAR

It's still very early, but if the draft were tomorrow, how do you see it panning out? 1-Miami~~~~~Chris Long DE Virginia Miami will look to get out of the first pick to aquire more picks to re-tool. Chris Long DE, fits Parcells 3-4 defense, so they may reach a little here if no trade partners are out there. 2-St. Louis~~~Glenn Dorsey DT LSU Many people are saying St. Louis grabs Jake Long to replace Orlando Pace at LT, but they drafted Alex Barron a couple of years ago to fill that roll. The Rams defense is in a dire need of a run stopper and Dorsey is that man. 3-Atlanta~~~~Darren McFadden RB, ARK Arthur Blank needs to redeem himself and bring some hope to the Falcon fan base. McFadden is the game breaker who will recharge the Falcons and with Warrick Dunn coming to the end of the road, RB is a need. 4-Oakland~~~Jake Long OT Mich As much as Al Davis would love to have McFadden or Cal WR DeSean Jackson, protecting the franchise QB seems like the best choice. He will be hestitate here because of the failure of another Big-Ten prospect Gallery. 5-Kansas City~Ryan Clady OT, Boise St. Clady will shoot up draft boards when he starts showing off his athletism. The Chiefs would like to get LJ back in the groove since they just re-invested in there franchise back. 6-New YorK~~Vernon Gohlston DE Ohio St. The Jets would love to get a young DE to line up opposite Shaun Ellis and Herm Edwards is a D guy. Gohlston size and speed will solidify the Jets D front. 7-New England~Malcom Jenkins CB Ohio St. It's a toss up between fellow Buckeye Laurinaitis and Jenkins. The Pats have a bigger hole at DB with Samuel most likely leaving. 8-Baltimore~~~Matt Ryan QB Boston College The Raven's get the first choice at QB and decide Ryan is the best of the bunch. With a new coach, it's the best time to find a future signal caller. 9-Cincinatti~~~James Laurinaitis LB Ohio St. Laurinaitis is playmaker on defense who should help a weak Bengal squad regain some respectability. 10-New Orleans~~Kenny Phillips SS Miami The Saints offense can put up points against anybody, but there defense usually allows more. The weakest link on there D is in the secondary and Phillips is the best prospect available. 11-Buffalo~~~~~DeShaun Jackson WR Cal The Bills need another option opposite of Lee Evans. Even though Jackson is the smaller speedy type like Evans, Jackson's speed and return capabilites make him the top WR candidate for Trent Edwards. 12-Denver~~~~~Sedrick Ellis DT USC The Broncos need to improve there D-line and Ellis will fill that need. Dumerville and Ellis will wreck havoc on QBs looking for open receivers that are covered by Baily and Bly. 13-Carolina~~~~Sam Baker OT USC The Panthers may be losing there two starting OT to FA. Sam Baker will be able to fill one of those holes right away. 14-Chicago~~~~Malcom Kelly WR Oklahoma The Bears need a big target to replace the aging Moose. Kelly at 6-4 will give the Bears a big and fast possesion reciever to work with Olsen and Berrian. There first target was OT and felt the talent at QB will last until the 3rd Round. ******************************************************************************** ************* Why WR? He just seemed like BPA at the time along with biggest need. Bears go with Barry Richardson OT Clemson RD2, Joe Flacco QB Deleware RD3, Josh Barrett SS Arizona St. RD3, Kirk Barton OT Ohio St. RD4, Ryan Torain RB Arizona St. RD5, Kirston Pittman DE LSU RD6, RoShaun Fellows CB Tenn RD7 The Bears also add Faneca as there big time FA, along with resigning Grossman, Berrian, B.A., Briggs is released

I'd like MT just because he's a local kid, but he's only really had 1 real good game in each season 05,06,07. Heck, you can say the same about there 3rd stringer Darin Sproiles (5-6" 181 lb). There's alot of hype about Turner for his 1 game wonders. I think he will be a great #2 in the NFL, but he'll be looking for #1 money and I hate to give it to him. We'd be better off drafting a RB anywhere RD4 and after IMO. There will be plenty of talent in the later rounds (Darius Walker undrafted) that can be capable RB's in the NFL. Our problem is more about our philosophy and our O-line. The Bears need to upgrade these areas and our RB's should improve. Our FA $ and draft picks need to be invested in the OL, S, and WR IMO. Once these areas are addressed with starter quality, we can then reach for developmental prospects (QB, RB)

What I hope is that Jake Long slips to KC, IMO there the only team really desperate to rebuild the Oline also. That will hopefully leave us with the next best Olineman available (Ryan Clady). Most Mock draft sites have us taking Brohm or Woodson. Will find out shortly after FA what our intentions are. IMO if we resign Grossman, we look QB in RD's 2-4, but if we don't sign him, we may take the best QB available with our 14th.

I like Mendenhall better than McFadden, so we may be better to try and get Mendenhall with our 14th But thats only a pipe dream because I don't see JA spending big money on the RB position this year, next year will be the year we spend $$ on a RB.

The Miami Dolphins will most likely look to trade out of the #1 pick for the draft. Bill Parcells is shaking things up and will look to move his defensive philosphy into Miami. With that being said, the consensus top pick of Glen Dorsey DT LSU will not fit into that system. Darren McFadden RB could also be a top pick, but Miami has Ronnie Brown who was tearing it up before he got injured. Then you have Jake Long OLT Mich and Chris Long DE Virg., both of these guys would be better off as there pick, but I see Parcell's looking to add more pieces to fill more holes. Here's were the Bears come in. If Chicago were to trade there #1-14 and #2-44, the trade would almost equal out (#1=1889 and #14+#44=1883). The Bears could then use the #1 pick to take Michigans Jake Long LT and still have two more first day picks 3-75 and 3-90*. With the other 3rd round picks, we can hopefullly get a QB (Flacco) and a SS (Steltz or Barrett). I'd love to have Jake Long anchor our left side for many years and we usually blow our 2nd pick on some unknown developmental player anyways (Manning, Bradley, Bazuin, Rosy Williams). What would your opinion be if this move was made? I would really consider it, all I want is a OLT with pick 1 or 2. This would guarantee us to get a potential stud OLT and not hope Clady, Otah, or Chris Williams falls to us.

Here is a 4 round mock draft thats pretty interesting as a Bears fan. The link is http://www.drafttek.com/ Can't believe they have Jonathan Stewart lasting until the 2nd Round. I would also avoid Hart unless we cut Wolfe. 1-11 Andre Woodson QB Kentucky other guys available worth considering: Jeff Otah OT Pitt, Kenny Phillips SS Miami, Chris Williams OT Vand. 2-42 Michael Oher OT Miss other guys available worth considering: Gosder Cherilus OT BC, Jonathan Stewart RB Org, Mario Manningham WR Mich, 3-74 Michael Hart RB Mich 3-90 Michael Hamllin SS Clemson other guys available worth considering: Earl Bennett WR Vand, Dorien Bryant WR Purd, Frank Okam DT Tex, Tony Hills OT Tex, Heath Benedict OG Newberry 4-106 William Moore FS Mizzou other guys available worth considering: Paul Hubbard WR Wis, Tashard Choice RB Georgia Tech, Tom Zbikowski SS ND,

If we were to add a RB, why not Rashard Mendenhall from UofI. I would rather not see a RB this year unless Cedric Benson's injury is a concern. We have plenty of $$ invested in RB right now and the ones we have could be a nice trio IF we had an OC who can call plays to their strengths. We will also not carry 4 RB's on the roster. Round 1 order of priority: Ryan Clady OT, Kenny Phillips SS, Andre Woodson, Brian Brohm, Matt Ryan QB, Sam Baker OT.

Who would have thought that a Kyle Orton led Bear team with many missing key defensive players would of whooped the first place Green Bay Packers? The Bears got to examine Orton, Wolfe, Williams, McBride, Toeiana and Kennedy. What they learned IMO is that Orton can go into 2008 competing for the #1 spot but most likely claiming the #2. The Bears should sign Grossman and release Griese and spend a first day draft pick on a QB. Running back in 2008 will not see much change as long a Cedric Benson can come back 100% healthy. Adrian Peterson deserves a shot at being the featured back coming into next camp but if anything we need to spit the carries and give Wolfe a series or two. Theres no sense to bring in a FA or draft a RB unless Benson's injury is more serious. Wide receiver and Oline will be the biggest renovation projects this offseason. Berrian needs to be resigned, but not at a cost as a top 10 receiver. Moose, Bradley, Davis can all leave and a FA and a draftee should be brought in. The Oline can cut Miller, Brown, and Metcalf and sign a top FA and draft two prospects. On the defensive side of the ball, the Bears will most likely let Briggs walk which may not be as bad as we think. Briggs hasn't been playing like a probowler this season and with him missing the Packer game, we seen Jamar Williams fill in pretty nicely. Michael Okwo will also get a chance to compete for the WLB also, but Williams looks like the man to fill the job. McBride has played nice enough to make Manning Jr expendable and Corey Graham's growing into a playmaker on ST. The DE position will be interesting this offseason as Alex Brown and Ogunleye have played better than usual. Anderson and Bazuin will need to have a big offseason/training camp to see a move here. At DT the Bears will cut Walker before his 5 million bonus kicks in and go into the offseason with Harris, Dvorecek, Adams, and Toeiana, Garay, and Kennedy. Safety will need to be addressed as Archuletta will be cut and Brown will give it one more run, but shouldn't be counted on. Our S projetion for next year will be Brown, Manning, Payne, Mcgowan and a draftee competing. The Bears defense doesn't need much attention as the offense. The Bears should put most of their attention bringing in offensive players this offseason and most likely a new OC. 2008 DRAFT projection. 1-10 Ryan Clady OT Boise St. 2-40 Jaison Williams WR Oregon 3-73 Heath Benedict G Newberry 3-85 Colt Brennan QB Hawaii 4-106 Caleb Cambell SS Army 5-140 Jeremy Leman LB, Illinois 6-172 Maurice Purify WR, Nebraska 7-206 Kevin Mitchell SS, Illinois 2008 Free Agents WR- Bryant Johnson at 6-3 Johnson will be a big target who runs great routes with good hands. OG-Alan Faneca- He is the best at run blocking, and the Bears were last in the NFL. Faneca still has prime years left. PROJECTED STARTERS LT-Ryan Clady LG-Alan Faneca C-Olin Kreutz RG-Heath Benedict RT-John Tait QB-Rex Grossman, RB-Cedric Benson, WR-Benard Berrian, WR-Bryan Johnson, WR-Devin Hester, TE-Greg Olsen. DE-Adewale Ogunleye DT-Tommie Harris, DT-Dusty Dvorecek, DE-Alex Brown WLB-Jamar Williams MLB-Brian Urlacher SLB-Hunter Hillenmeyer CB-Charles Tillman, SS-Mike Brown, FS, Daniel Manning, CB-Nathan Vasher (nickel-McBride)

I'm in the wave the white flag mode. Lovie needs to let everyone know these last few weeks are auditions for next year. Get everyone opportunities like Hass, Bradley, Beekman, Williams. Let the battles begin for positions/roster spots for next year. If we win "GREAT" if we lose "So be it" we at least increase our draft value.

Great job, DBDB. It was sad to see the old Bearstalk go, but being independent and hopefully getting the other guys to come over we can watch this site grow. The hostile takeover angered me especially having PnP tell us about "our little world over there". Did he realize our little world had more post/views with mature/trolless members. Our little world was the #1 NFL forum in the world and now we are independent. So now were are the hits and traffic going to go, thats right....RIGHT HERE.

ASHKUM BEAR, I've been with Bearstalk for about 5 years. I'm glad we can have a site to hopefully keep the good ole boys together. There's nothing like feeling the heat when cracker, nfo, choad, travd and many others get debating our Bears beliefs. I'll be here just like with the old board, thanks DBDB.