DABEARSDABOMB

Time to play some basketball so I can get my exercise in for the day. See ya guys around draft time...god I hope we rebuild that oline, find a RB, and find a WR. Man would that be sweet.

I'd say right now we are at 10, although I got two more this morning so that could push us to twelve. I wish I posted this sooner.

Also, to make things fair since I'm technically submitting picks for this contest, I figure I should post mine for ethic purposes (don't recommend anyone referencing it because as on top of this draft as I thought I was, I really started struggling the further down I got...mock drafts are hard). 1 Jake Long 2 Chris Long 3 Glenn Dorsey 4 Darren McFadden 5 Vernon Gholston 6 Matt Ryan 7 Keith Rivers 8 Leodis McCelvin 9 Sedrick Ellis 10 Dominuqe Rodgers-Cromartie 11 Devin Thomas 12 Ryan Clady 13 Derrick Harvey 14 Brandon Albert 15 Mike Jenkins 16 Rashard Mendenhall 17 Jeff Otah 18 Aquib Kalib 19 Chris Williams 20 Kenny Phillips 21 Phillip Merley 22 Felix Jones 23 Jerad Mayo 24 Jonathan Stewart 25 Desean Jackson 26 Kentwan Balder 27 Gosder Cheridilus 28 Brandon Flowers 29 Malcom Kelly 30 Antwoine Cason 31 Sam Baker

If any of us get more than 10 picks accurate in the first round...I will send there resume's to ESPN so we can get an analyst on the site who not only knows the draft but can always give us good analysis of the Bears For some reason I see someone having just an amazing pick sheet this draft (like some ridiculous number like 14 or 15 right).

Crap, I did mine and Albert/Mendenhall/Williams were all still on the board at my pick (It ended up having things work out real nice for the Chiefs who landed a stud DE and a stud tackle in my book). I ended up going with the guy I like the most of them and that is Albert (because I feel at best he turns into a damn good tackle, but if that doesn't work out, you are talking about a game changing just stud at the guard position (in fact I'd have no problem going Albert and than Baker....although I have Baker going off the board to the Giants).

Go for it. We can compare it to what other people's picks were.

The funny part is there is all kinds of talk about them moving up to grab Dorsey or Ellis. I don't know how they'd have the ammo to do such without the 2nd round pick (unless they plan on giving up a 3rd and a future first).

Thanks for all the hard work that went into this Balta/Pix. Good stuff everyone.

I will definately be around. I'll have the draft on, be doing some work on the laptop (hopefully not much work) and probably have the chatroom open on the desktop. Oh and I'll also be writing up some stories for the new front page

Oh and just to point out, I'm not saying he's the next Emmit as the next Emmit is impossible predict because I truly believe there are plenty of NFL football players out there capable of doing what he did if they are put behind an above average oline for most of there careers. That said, you have to tip your cap to Emmit for finding holes, being a solid blocker, and keeping himself in shape to be productive for so long.

I'd compare Rice to Emmit Smith. Ie, nothing really excites you but he's just a solid back. He finds holes and gains yardage and if you put him behind a solid line he'll be solid, a good line he'll be good, an above average line he'll be above average. Basically he's just one solid as hell individual. I can't speak about his blocking though. He doesn't have the measurables scouts like but he can play football, imo.

Broncos are either going to pass on Mendenhall (likely putting him there at 14) and take an oline or they take Mendenhall (which means another lineman is there for the Bears to consider and with Mendy off the board the debate should be between which OLT they like more and if they grade a couple of them even, see if some other team wants to move up to where the Bears are to grab a WR or another position player; but obviously only a couple spots so the Bears know one of the guys they like will still be there).

I actually like Ray Rice a lot. I think he's shown that he can play football and if you give him a solid line in the NFL he will be very productive and a good value pick. Plus picking Rice means that the Bears can address Oline and other key needs in the first two rounds. In regards to Ellis, putting him next to Harris would give the Bears a very strong interior front (to go with what I feel are good, but not amazing ends) and a good lb and cb core. The big question is how confident are they in Dusty and how confident are they in bringing back Harris (if they opted to draft Ellis I would think it would spell an end to Harris tenure in Chicago or at least that possibility occurring a year from now via trade). I still think the Bears will take a guard with one of hte 3rd round picks (as you can typically get a very quality guard prospect at that point) while taking Williams in the 1st, a RB with the other 3rd rd pick and the wildcard is the 2nd round pick (I think they go either QB or WR depending on whose available; If Flacco/Henne are there, they go QB, otherwise I think they really hope Hardy or Manningham is there and address QB in the 4th round or later (Colt Brennan/Johnson/Ainge/Dennis Dixon)

Cedric Ellis is the Bengals guy if he is on the board. Anything other than that would be foolish. Otherwise they will go Harvey, imo. RB is a need for them but they have used too many early picks on backs as of late.

Dave Attel rocks!!!

Let me know Pix. I know you had software or something involved but I can set up ftp access for you to whatever the domain was (or we can create it on talkbears, but IIRC you had a seperate domain in the past) and just throw it on here (no need to spend any money hosting it and the dedicated server has all kinds of space).

Does anyone actually know what Williams health concerns are (aside from his limbs being different lengths?).

Robertson wasn't very good for them anyway so this isn't like the Chiefs giving up a star and needing to replace a star. I believe the team will take McFadden if he is available but given what is left on the board there is no way the Jets pass on Matt Ryan. The club will take a guy who they believe can be the face of there franchise as they prepare to move into a new stadium next year. Given what else is on the board, I really don't even think they consider anything else (unless they take Ellis but I just don't see that as being something they target). I really see the Jets taking one of McFadden/Ryan/DE who has fallen (gholston or Long). No one other than those guys.

Because I quietly think the Bears believe they will still be able to get a solid tackle in the 2nd round and will instead move down and grab either Williams (who could very well be there at Steelers pick) or Felix Jones (I don't buy into this talk of Dallas taking Jones with there first 1st round pick). I think the Bears are real high on RB. That said I have zero problem staying put and taking Otah or Williams or whomever the Bears think is the best olineman on the board at our pick.

I think the problem is that the Bears will bring in another safety in the draft and at that point there really wouldn't be room on the roster for Cameron. However, if they didn't bring on a safety in the draft I would be for this signing because he is a legit special teams guy.

I'm predicting that the Steelers and Bears swap 1st rounders.

The reality is this team has too many needs to be moving up in the draft. In fact, I honestly would have zero problem moving all the way down to 27 (as I still feel you can get a starting caliber LT at that point or at least an RT like Cher..whatever from BC). Moving all the way down to 27 should also give the Bears additional picks on the first day which means we can draft WR/RB/QB/LT/G/S (all practically in the first three rounds, which means you have a better shot at getting quality guys at all of those positions, although you may miss out on the so called star but there is no guarantee of getting a star at 14 anyway). In fact, I have no idea what the value board is at, but if someone wanted to move up to 14 from the late 20's, I'd do it for a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (or 1st, 2nd, and next years 2nd).

Benson is more North to South. In fact I think the two backs would compliment each other incredibly well. Mendenhall isn't pure speed though as he is very elusive and has much better "make guys miss" ability than Ced. Of course if Ced was healthy I wouldn't even think about picking a back, but I just don't think we can possibly consider Ced healthy (its too bad because I still think he has a world of ability (now that was pre-injury, who knows what form he is in now), despite his shitty attitude).

I think Mendenhall is a less explosive, stronger version of Reggie Bush. IN fact, if I were going to compare him to someone it would be Ladanian Tomilson. I really love Mendenhall's all around athletism, strength and vision. He also has good hands for a WR and game-changing speed. Bottom line he has the ability to be a workhorse back who can also take it to the house on any one play. I absolutely love this guy's upside. The only question is how good he will adjust to running between the tackles and just running in a pro offense (since he is coming from a more option ran offense).

I really like Thomas, but he's just skyrocketing up draft boards. I know people will say how guys that skyrocket up draft boards tend to be busts, but do I have to remind people of Brian Urlacher (he was a workout warrior that just skyed up draft boards despite serious questions relating to the fact that he had never played LB). Thomas has good hands, athletism and is just very talented in what I don't consider that good of a WR class. However, the reason I'd be semi upset with this pick is that while I think WR is a freaking major need (in fact, I think you could make a case that it is a bigger need than many think, but that depends on how highly you think of Bradley/Hester) when compared with OLT/RB (I do actually have it graded just a tad below RB, but I have Mendenhall graded much higher than Thomas).