I would really like to get him

I would really like to get him

Just not with #14. If we can trade down and still pick him up in the 20s, then fine.

I'd do whatever it takes to take him. I have a very good feeling he is going to pull a Vernon Davis with his workouts and shootup the draft board so by the time its draft day it will be a solid pick for us.

I'd do whatever it takes to take him. I have a very good feeling he is going to pull a Vernon Davis with his workouts and shootup the draft board so by the time its draft day it will be a solid pick for us.

And when he struggles due to the lack of a solid O-Line for the Bears next year, the Bears can draft another top RB next year. Drafting WR after WR has worked for the Lions right? Well, let's do the same with RB's.

 

Whether we like Benson or not, he's what we've got right now. So fix the O-Line first until he's more moveable.

Not a chance we can afford to take a running back with our first pick for two reasons. A. that would be way too much money to have invested in the position B. We need to address our o line much more and theres actually a few good backs in free agency.

And when he struggles due to the lack of a solid O-Line for the Bears next year, the Bears can draft another top RB next year. Drafting WR after WR has worked for the Lions right? Well, let's do the same with RB's.

 

Whether we like Benson or not, he's what we've got right now. So fix the O-Line first until he's more moveable.

I would absolutely love Mendenhall. He has the ability to be a legit, top notch RB. He has game breaking speed, good vision, and it appears to be enough strenght to be an all pro running back. However, the Bears have a major problem and without a good oline your QB, RB, and entire offense won't have any success and because of that the Bears don't have the luxury of taking a RB in RD 1 (unless they spend some big bucks on the oline via FA).

 

Rice had a very impressive game at Rutgers and he is the type of back that I think behind an above average oline has a fantastic career. He has good speed (not great), with great vision and strength and always seems to go forward and gain yards. I think he could be an Emmit Smith type back (ie, not amazingly fun to watch, but gets the job done...and no I'm not saying he will have Emmit's career).

 

I think Rice could be one of the people the Bears target in the 2nd round. I also wouldn't have as much of a problem going with Mendenhall if the Bears moved down to the 20's and drafted him but also stocked up on first day picks to add some talent (this would be based on them signing a FA Tackle and than using the draft to nab a guard or two).

And when he struggles due to the lack of a solid O-Line for the Bears next year, the Bears can draft another top RB next year. Drafting WR after WR has worked for the Lions right? Well, let's do the same with RB's.

 

Whether we like Benson or not, he's what we've got right now. So fix the O-Line first until he's more moveable.

I agree. Benson was just as dominant in college as Mendenhall. If the OL is fixed, Benson would look much better. Also, the Passing game was so bad that they had 8-9 in the box all season. Very few running backs would do anything against those factors.

I agree. Benson was just as dominant in college as Mendenhall. If the OL is fixed, Benson would look much better. Also, the Passing game was so bad that they had 8-9 in the box all season. Very few running backs would do anything against those factors.

If we do nothing else in the offseason BUT fix the OLine in the offseason we should be improved. The Oline is the primary concern for sure.

Just not with #14. If we can trade down and still pick him up in the 20s, then fine.

I agree. If we could possibly trade down to a playoff team, like JAX, we could get their pick, and their 2nd round pick. That way we could take Mendenhall, then Oher (or a different OL).

Give me Steve Slaton over him.

I still think we fix OL through FA and draft skill positions.

okay, do people realize that you need at least a decent OLine to be able to run the ball??? Mendenhall would just be another "bust" behind this horrid OLine in Chicago.

okay, do people realize that you need at least a decent OLine to be able to run the ball??? Mendenhall would just be another "bust" behind this horrid OLine in Chicago.

But think of the RB corps we could have after we spend our 2009 1st round pick on a RB as well because Mendenhall looked bad behind this line also. We could have the best 1-2-3 set of RB's in the NFL!

okay, do people realize that you need at least a decent OLine to be able to run the ball??? Mendenhall would just be another "bust" behind this horrid OLine in Chicago.

True, but even a good o line doesnt make a back break arm tackles, block, catch or cut back.

Drafting a RB in the first round would be just plain stupid, but from a team-building standpoint and a salary cap standpoint.

 

Even if the Bears move down, there are other holes to fill, and tying all that money up in two 1st round RBs would be a huge mistake. Besides, like others have said, Benson was a stud in college, and if given a halfway decent OL to run behind, should produce.

 

I'm one of the biggest anti-Benson guys out there...but I remember the glimpses he showed last year, especially a few against the Saints, and I believe he could do big things if the opponents actually feared the Bears' passing game and the OL was better.

If we do nothing else in the offseason BUT fix the OLine in the offseason we should be improved. The Oline is the primary concern for sure.

If you think about it. If we take the same team, fix the OLine, and bring back all the injured players, we should be a 9-10 win ballclub. That doesn't include adding some quality players in the draft or thru FA.

 

We were 0-4 vs Minnesota and Detroit. If we split with them, we would've been 9-7.

Count me in! I'd love to see him in a Bears uni!

 

I would really like to get him

I hate to tell, but draftin an O-Lineman 1st will more than likely not have an immediateimpact. For every Joe Thomas, I canrattle off dozens that were either bustsor took a while to get it. Whereas RB's tend to show immediate benefits. That is the non-busts like Benson.

 

I refuse to acce[t that we have to be stuck with Benson. Right now, his dollars aren't that high, and he's shown to be competent when splitting carries.

 

We should improve the OL in FA...and draft in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th depending on the talent available.

 

And when he struggles due to the lack of a solid O-Line for the Bears next year, the Bears can draft another top RB next year. Drafting WR after WR has worked for the Lions right? Well, let's do the same with RB's.

 

Whether we like Benson or not, he's what we've got right now. So fix the O-Line first until he's more moveable.

Any guesses as to where he will go in the draft? Top 10? 10-20? 20-30? 2nd rd?

Any guesses as to where he will go in the draft? Top 10? 10-20? 20-30? 2nd rd?

 

I've heard mid to late 1st.

I've heard mid to late 1st.

Hopefully other underclassmen declare (like Rice), which will make it a very solid RB class.

Mendenhall goes top 20, IMO, and will be the 2nd back chosen.

Just wanted to point something out: I've seen a few posts on this board talking about getting Michael Oher in the 2nd round if we don't draft a OT in the 1st. Um, that's not going to happen. He's a mid-late first rounder at the latest right now. However, factoring in how freakishly athletic he is, plus the fact that he's relatively new to football, I could easily see him tearing up the combine and getting picked only after Long and maybe Clady. However, I don't think he'll declare for the draft, so it's kind of a moot point.

 

As for getting Mendenhall, I'd love to have him on the Bears. I believe he will be a pro-bowl caliber RB. But, you have to address OL first and foremost. I agree that he'll be the 2nd back taken and we just have too many other needs to get him with our 1st pick.

No thanks....he should stay at IL for another year.....

Now with Ray Rice going pro, I'd rather hold off on Mendenhall and get Rice in the 3rd round or so.