ASHKUM BEAR Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 The Bears were god awful running the ball last year. Blame who you want, but this is an area that has to be fixed. IMO, we will be looking to add a RB to compete. The NFL is a funny place for RB's. Ryan Grant GB, was an undrafted FA and had an almost Probowl season in limited action (7 starts). He finsihed w/ 986yds, give him 9 more games and he breaks 2000. The point of this is, as much as we'd love to see Mendenhall/Stewart in a Bears uniform, it's not the best decision for the Bears. We have a first RD back in Benson for 1 more year with a solid back up warrior in AP. Wolfe will provide a nice change of pace if used correctly. The Bears first priority needs to be the Oline. Not a glorious choice, but an area that needs youth. The best place for the Bears to draft a RB is from the 3rd to the 5th RD. My draft board RD3-4 1. Ray Rice-Considered small, but so was Emmitt Smith. Rice plays with passion and was the work horse at Rutgers. 2. Kevin Smith-Has great vision/balance to go with his speed. Can play between the tackles, block, and catch. 3. Jamaal Charles- Will probably be the 5th RB taken somewhere in RD2, but he's 3rd on my board 4. Tashard Choice- Has speed, vision and balance and catches the ball well. 5. Matt Forte-More of a bruiser, bust it through the tackles type runner. Sizes and 40 times at combine: Ray Rice Rutgers-5-8 199 4.44 Jamaal Charles Texas- 5-11 200 4.38 Kevin Smith Central Florida- 6-1 217 4.43 Tashard Choice Georgia Tech- 5-10 215 4.54 Matt Forte Tulane-6-1 217 4.46 Steve Slaton W Virginia 5-9 197 4.44 Jalen Parmele Toledo 5-11 224 4.47 Alan Patrick Oklahoma 6-0 198 Mike Hart 5-8 206 4.67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearSox Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 first thing first, if you have a great OLine you can put any mediocre piece of crap back there and have a good season. Grant wasn't all that good. He has pretty good speed and good vision, but nothing else really. However, the Packers ZBS was perfect for him. 2nd off, I'd compare the Running backs by which round they'd be available in. As for round 1, don't buy into the crap Mayock or however is feeding us, McFadden will be long gone by 14 and be a top 10 pick. However, Mendenhall would be a more logical choice above Stewart in the first. My personal choice would be to address other needs in round 1 and 2, and go after either Ray Rice, Tashard Choice, or Jamaal Charles (really doubt he'd be there) in the 3rd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TerraTor Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 I would love to watch seabass suck in Green Bay ZBS. He certainly fits the "any mediocre peice of crap back" description. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZ54 Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 If we take Stewart in Rd 1 I'll be pissed. I don't see anything special in him, he's a good RB but not a guy I want to spend a 1st Rd pick on. I watched him play a lot last year and he had some good games but I can't recall a single play he made that wowed me. I'm very cautious in RBs that come from spread offenses like Oregon's that had a good dual threat QB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TerraTor Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 I know everyone has questions in the draft, but Mendenhall i think could ressurect(sp) the offense. we need to get some FA OL tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balta1701-A Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 I know everyone has questions in the draft, but Mendenhall i think could ressurect(sp) the offense. we need to get some FA OL tho. Are there really any left that are worth spending cap room on in FA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azbearsfan Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 The most logical fix is to fix the o line, then as you said, we can put anyone back there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Hochuli 3:16 Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 As much as I hate to say it, it might be all-but-done that Mendenhall is ours at 14, unless of course CAR or DEN take him right before us. Remember, JA goes after BOP, not biggest need, which may lead to us drafting Mendenhall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killakrzydav Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 . I'm very cautious in RBs that come from spread offenses like Oregon's that had a good dual threat QB. If this is the case, there is definately NO way that you are an advocate of Mendenhall then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearFan2000 Posted March 9, 2008 Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 Put me down in the Ray Rice in the 3rd round and address bigger needs in round one. Last year our Line was not only bad but is old. We need to infuse some youth. We do have Beakman who didn't get a lot of action last year. We cut Fred "False Start" Miller. Ruben Brown should be back and healthy, you've got Kruetz, Garza, Tait, and I can't think who else off the top of my head but Josh is the only young lineman we have. I would like to see us draft a couple offensive linemen, one early and one later on. As uncool as it sounds I'd like to see us use the 14th pick on an offensive lineman. Possibly grab Flacco in round 2 and grab Rice in Round 3. Being and ND Fan I wouldn't mind seeing Zibakowski. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DABEARSDABOMB Posted March 9, 2008 Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 Ruben Brown is currently a FA so there is no guarantee he will be back. In fact I haven't heard anything really at all come from Halas Hall indicating they even have interest in Brown. Personally I think you could do far worse things than sign Brown while you draft a guard who can spend a season developing under Brown. The price will be more than fair for Brown too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Hochuli 3:16 Posted March 9, 2008 Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 I thought it was made official that the Bears notified Ruben telling him that he won't be brought back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongo3451 Posted March 9, 2008 Report Share Posted March 9, 2008 I thought it was made official that the Bears notified Ruben telling him that he won't be brought back? They did, but that may have been after preliminary negotiations with his agent demanding too much. Let him test the waters and come back cheaper. IMO - If his shoulder is OK he has a good year left in the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iguana Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 You're forgetting one. Chris Johnson, ECU, 4.24, 200#, 5'11" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZ54 Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 If this is the case, there is definately NO way that you are an advocate of Mendenhall then. I only watched Mendenhall in one game vs. USC. He plays with more burst than Stewart and I saw both play against USC but I'd rather not base my opinion of Mendenhall to one game. I'll defer to others who watched him all year. However, the Ilini QB is nowhere near as good a dual threat as Dixon was for Oregon so I think the field was more open for Stewart to run. Having seen a lot of Stewart I don't feel he's a legit top 15 pick and so I don't want to pick him in Rd 1. If we pick him up in Rd 2 I can live with that. I think he'll be a good RB in the NFL but not great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DABEARSDABOMB Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Mendenhall has one real weakness. He has never played in a typical pro-offense and because of that you really dont know what type of vision and ability he has when it comes to running in between the tackles. The athletism is definitely there though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfoligno Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Mendenhall has one real weakness. He has never played in a typical pro-offense and because of that you really dont know what type of vision and ability he has when it comes to running in between the tackles. The athletism is definitely there though. Not a response to Mendenhall specifically, but another gifted RB who had the same question was Tomlinson. I remember all too well the spread offense he ran in, and the questions whether or not he could run in between the tackles. Heck, it was unknown at the time how good his hands were for catching the ball. Catching pitchouts isn't the same as catching passes, and he was unproven as a receiver. Not saying Mendenhall is LT. Not even sure I have a point. Just that reading your post, it reminded me of so many (myself included) who said similar when LT came out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 If the Bears did go with Mendenhall, hopefully they would trade Benson, then also move up into the 2nd round to get a 2nd pick. I would not mind getting Mendenhall + 2 2nd round OLinemen. That would be the only way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackie hayes Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 From rotoworld: NFL Network's Adam Schefter reports Oregon RB Jonathan Stewart underwent surgery on his big toe Wednesday. He'll be out four to six months. If Stewart heals quickly, he'll have a chance to be ready before the start of training camp. Still, Stewart will miss all pre-camp work and his draft status will likely be affected severely. It's a somewhat similar situation to Adrian Peterson's in 2007, but Stewart's potential isn't on that level. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him fall to round two. Mar. 13 - 6:51 pm et If he falls into the 2nd... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASHKUM BEAR Posted March 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 From rotoworld: If he falls into the 2nd... Awesome news, if Clady/Williams are gone before 14 then we can trade down b/c Mendenhall's stock just went through the roof. Teams that had Stewart on there radar may think twice now, meaning more interest trading up for Mendes services. I love to see Mendenhall in a Bears uni, but if we can aquire more picks we may be able to get a lot more value. scenerio: trade with Dallas 22 Branden Albert OG 28 Brian Brohm QB 45 Jonathan Stewart RB 76 Tony Hills OLT 91 traded to Dallas 107 Craig Steltz/Tom Zbikowski SS 137 Adarius Bowman WR 169 traded to Dallas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkerBear7 Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 That would be a great draft! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brletich Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Awesome news, if Clady/Williams are gone before 14 then we can trade down b/c Mendenhall's stock just went through the roof. Teams that had Stewart on there radar may think twice now, meaning more interest trading up for Mendes services. I love to see Mendenhall in a Bears uni, but if we can aquire more picks we may be able to get a lot more value. scenerio: trade with Dallas 22 Branden Albert OG 28 Brian Brohm QB 45 Jonathan Stewart RB 76 Tony Hills OLT 91 traded to Dallas 107 Craig Steltz/Tom Zbikowski SS 137 Adarius Bowman WR 169 traded to Dallas 2 questions: Why would Dallas want to move up? And why in the heck would they give up so much to do it? I just don't see this even coming close to happening, even if Dallas wants someone at 14. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear trap Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 2 questions: Why would Dallas want to move up? And why in the heck would they give up so much to do it? I just don't see this even coming close to happening, even if Dallas wants someone at 14. If mendenhal is still on the board and we pass on him I would hope that we trade down and maybe select williams and take a guard with the second rd pick. Hopefully Mike hart is still on the board with the next pick, cause I really liked his determination and his tough attitude. He never asked to be taken out of the game like benson does. Besides I'm disgusted with the organizations mentality of taking a guy who's not used to playing in the type of weather conditions that we have to play in come playoff time. Benson just doesn't have the northern grit that we need. Hart's been there done that. So why not give him a chance considering he'd not be too high of a draft pick. Hart plays with heart and he pretty much carried the wolverines on his back. Yeah he may be small and may say some things that stir up the locker room, but should we be looking for someone like that offensively. He doesn't settle for mediocrity, and the sloppy soldier field in the month of december wouldn't affect his play. Benson still is the man, however hart would be a great way of telling him we have someone who will give it his all if you're not willing to. Yet we didn't go and throw money or a high draft pick at someone to prove it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madlithuanian Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 If Mendenhall's on the board, I hope and pray we take him. He's no more guarantee than any other back, but we desperately need a running game. With the last of FA's (Ward) now re-signed with the Giants, there's nothing left but to draft a RB. I also like Hart and would be more than OK with him. But I just like Mendenhall more. I ive in LA, and all the USC guys here that I know can't say enough good things about him and what he did in the Rose Bowl agasint a semi-pro D. I disagree that Benson is "the man". Maybe by default. But he cannot be relied upong for anything but being injured. If mendenhal is still on the board and we pass on him I would hope that we trade down and maybe select williams and take a guard with the second rd pick. Hopefully Mike hart is still on the board with the next pick, cause I really liked his determination and his tough attitude. He never asked to be taken out of the game like benson does. Besides I'm disgusted with the organizations mentality of taking a guy who's not used to playing in the type of weather conditions that we have to play in come playoff time. Benson just doesn't have the northern grit that we need. Hart's been there done that. So why not give him a chance considering he'd not be too high of a draft pick. Hart plays with heart and he pretty much carried the wolverines on his back. Yeah he may be small and may say some things that stir up the locker room, but should we be looking for someone like that offensively. He doesn't settle for mediocrity, and the sloppy soldier field in the month of december wouldn't affect his play. Benson still is the man, however hart would be a great way of telling him we have someone who will give it his all if you're not willing to. Yet we didn't go and throw money or a high draft pick at someone to prove it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrunkBomber Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Are there really any left that are worth spending cap room on in FA? no Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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