I'm not concerned with what player the Chicago Bears select in the second round but more with what position they'll select. We'll operate under the assumption that the boys at Halas Hall will take an offensive tackle in the first round and - if they don't - will certainly select one here. If they do select one of the tackles, where do they go with the 44th overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft?
Four options:
Can Never Have Too Many Good Ones
Should the Bears dip their wicks back into the linemen well, I'd have no problem with it. This is the team's most pressing need and taking a pair of them shows that the lights are on in Jerry Angelo's sometimes dark and depressing head. I'd love to see Boston College's Gosder Cherilus fall to this point or USC's Sam Baker still be on the board here.
Be Nice To Have a Great One Some Day
The second tier of quarterbacks in this draft are Brian Brohm, Chad Henne and Joe Flacco (though I believe Matt Ryan is also a second tier quarterback masquerading as a first tier one). Oddly enough, there are people who believe all three could be available at 44 and some who believe NONE will be available at 44. Brohm does nothing for me. I like Henne's arm and guts but seriously question his ability to stay healthy. Flacco's arm is the best in this draft class but his lack of mobility and top-flight competition in college makes him something of a project (which means the Bears would be putting this pick in the bank to earn interest). I'd look elsewhere.
I Hear There Are Ones That Play Hard
I'm going to assume McFadden, Mendenhall and Stewart are sure-thing first round picks. Ray Rice, Chris Johnson and Kevin Smith are reaches at 44. That leaves Arkansas' Felix Jones - a player the Bears should move up from this slot to get if its possible. Jones is an every down horse of a tailback who ran brilliantly in the best defensive conference in the country. He's tough, too. Something we'll never accuse #32 of being. If Jones is gone (and the Razorback Jerry Jones will certainly consider him) I think we'll look at runners with one of our two thirds.
I Like Ones Not Named Adam Archuleta
And I love ones named Tom Zbikowski. Da Coach said it best, "Some teams are Zbikowskis." This position is rather thin, if you're not planning to convert one of the many corners to the deep spot. Mr. Z is a mid-round type talent but don't you just want him? Doesn't that name just belong on the back of a navy and burnt jersey? I mean the kid's from Arlington Heights for Christ sake.
#2 Max said . . .First!
Why not take a Chicago Boy?? Mike Brown is the man but you'd be stupid not to buy some insurance!!!
Keep the good stuff coming Jeff!!
April 12, 2008
#3 Spanish Bear said . . .i dont know. . . Z was Notre Dame and they didnt do so hot last i saw
April 12, 2008
#4 Da Coach said . . .I think Zbikowski is a reach at #44. What about a DT?
April 12, 2008
#5 jeff said . . .With Dusty coming back and a couple other moves the team made I think we are good at DT.
If Flacco is there at 44 I say we take him, if he is gone then I like the idea of Felix Jones. Jeff is right that guy is a horse and runs with anger.
With that said I really beleive in Angelo & Company the further into the draft it gets. These guys usually find good contributors from about rounds 2-7 lets hope it stays that way this year.
April 12, 2008
#6 Dreamer said . . .spanish, you're right. he's a reach at 44....but i just like him. he might still be there in the third round.
April 12, 2008
#7 jeff said . . .Tom Zbikowski
are you serious?
do you watch college football at all...
he is basically an Adam Archuleta in the fact that he can only stop the run (and just be average at that) while being a non-factor in the passing game
good choice i agreeApril 12, 2008
#8 said . . .i am basing every bit of that on his last name and his home. and no i don't watch college football, it's on saturday right?
by the way, adam archuleta was an all-pro caliber safety for several years and the ability to stop the run from the safety position would ave won us two additional games in 2007.
April 12, 2008
#9 Dreamer said . . .Brian Brohm is a coaches son and is the most polished of any QB in this class. If he's there in the 2nd round take him.
April 12, 2008
#10 Jesse said . . .For all the complaints about Archuleta I would assume you would not Archuleta 2.0, i honestly believe Zbikowski would be a horrible choice for the Bears and we have more pressing needs to address
April 12, 2008
#11 The Duke said . . .I like a running back for the second pick. But i dont think Felix Jones gets by jerry jones and dallas with their second first round pick. I dont mind taking ray rice with the forty four. I dont watch much college football, but leading up to the draft i watch a ton of video and read as many scouting reports as i can find. I like ray rice from what Ive seen and read.
April 12, 2008
#12 jeff said . . .Jeff, what's up with your comment about Ryan masquerading as a tier 1 QB? Not that I disagree, I'm just curious to hear your take as he's touted as a potential #1 overall pick.
April 13, 2008
#13 Al in WI said . . .contrary to what some think, i watch an insane amount of college football and outside of a quarter here or a quarter there, ryan has never really impressed me. he's got a good-not-great arm and decent mobility but what impresses people about him are the intangibles. intangibles ain't throwing thirty touchdown passes against professional defenders. if he doesn't have the brilliant fourth quarter against virginia tech mid-season, i don't think he's in the conversation at the top of the draft.
remember that so many players end up getting taken in the first round and utterly forgotten because pro scouts just don't use game production enough in their evaluative process. if they did, there's no way vince young would be a starting quarterback in the nfl. there's no way anybody would be surprised that kyle boller didn't quite work out. and rex grossman's inconsistency would be no shock at all.
April 13, 2008
#14 Pissed Off said . . .I like the idea of looking at another lineman here, though I would rather the gaurd position be addressed either via trade or with a player cut because of cap/draft reasons in the next month. Right now we have several prospects at gaurd already.
So I'd endorse the Felix Jones pick here. That way we can fill a hole with this pick.
Wide reciever is worth a look here too....April 13, 2008
#15 Worm0922 said . . .I have zero problem with them taking another O-lineman at 44. It would be sweet if Baker and or Cherilus fell that far, we'd have two studs.
Regarding your QB take, I've always said that Ryan is the best QB available. Unlike Jeff I like his arm strength and his intangibles but we have Rex if arm strength is the key. I really dont care if they take a QB but I'm not giving up on Rex. This is going to be his breakout year. Post-benching Rex is going to be a stud. Everyone else in my opinion is 2nd tier or lower. He's the lone standout that will turn out to be a good pro QB. I dont think anyone else, especially Flacco, has the chance to be a star. I like the potential of Brohm, Woodson and Brennan all more than Flacco at the pro level. I guess what I'm saying is if we dont get Ryan I dont see great potential from anyone else.
Agreed totally on Zibs, he's just the kind of guy who belongs with the Bears. I really cant wait to see what RB we get and when. We know this guy will be competing for the starting job. In my mind thats the most exciting part of this draft speculation, who is our RB going to be.
April 13, 2008
#16 jeff said . . .AI in WI, you took the words out of my mouth. I believe the main reason Benson is a bust is because he was such a bruiser back. Thats why his body is starting to break down now. We should look to get a back like felix jones that had half the carries and still 1k yards. Since the career of a running back is an avg of five yrs. Benson needs a change a pace back for us to get anything back on the investment.
April 13, 2008
#17 zisk said . . .i dont think cedric benson's problem has anything to do with anything physical. he was a force his rookie year as a backup. he lacks balls.
April 13, 2008
#18 jeff said . . .If Tommy Z is available in the fourth I say take him
April 13, 2008
#19 animal said . . .second third
April 13, 2008
#20 Worm0922 said . . .I believe they have to draft the best available RB or QB here. Whomever is highest on their board goes. Upgrade one of those two positions. I still believe Rex can be good, but getting another youngster to groom here is smart. Love the idea of Felix Jones, although I can easily imagine a team reaching for him in the first round.
Just watched the first round of the 07 draft on the network yesterday. Funny shit- all the expert predictions, projections, and other BS just go out the window as teams actually make their pick. Hilarious to watch the experts sit there and say there was no way in hell Minny takes AP, no chance, they have an RB, blah blah blah then Minny picks him.
And, the Brady Quinn face, followed by him getting taken to the green room to end the embarrassment, is priceless.
Final thought on watching that draft, and looking back- trading up is absolutely for idiots.April 13, 2008
#21 Viva said . . .Jeff, he does lack balls, but they ran the ball a lot in college and he doesn't know how to make a person miss. He is not an every down back, he more like Brandon jacobs or norwood. Both have been and will be injured often due to their styles. We were the only crazy ones to take a back like that in the first round.
April 14, 2008
#22 Viva said . . .If we are going to have any chance at all next year we must avg 4.5 yards per carry. With that in mind - OT and Guard must be addressed in the first two rounds (if Brohm falls to 44 and I were the GM he would be a Bear).
Food for thought - the rebirth of the Packers was a result of their very young Offensive line coming into their own.
My guess is that in round three the BT will snag a RB and WR - QB in round 4, and best available guys throughout the rest of the draft.
April 14, 2008
#23 mikebdot said . . .During the course of every draft Angelo has overseen he has always upheld the principle that you do not go into a draft with "NEEDS," and because of their lack of success in FA, they have plenty.
Why do you not go into a draft with needs?
1. Because your competitors can unmercifully fuck you (trade up - trade down - trade out with a team that shares your need...).
2. Because when you ultimately have a draftee - he can unmercifully fuck you in the contract negotiations.
3. Because the risk of injury is almost 20 %.
4. Because you let great athletes pass you by (to fuck you unmercifully on the field of play) because you don't need that position only to take a lesser athlete that you need.
5. Because it is just unmercifully fucking stupid.April 14, 2008
#24 Phil from SATX said . . .I suspect the BT will take the best available with all of their picks that aren't LBs or TEs for the first 4 rounds. Then, they might take a TE in later rounds.
I would like them to take Dennis Dixon in round 5 or greater.
April 14, 2008
#25 Duff Diggler said . . .Viva, great posts! I agree with you - I've been on the bandwagon for top 2 picks going oline - and I think the only time you trade up is when you're moving a few spaces to get someone specific who is out there. I had proposed the concept of trading out of the 14th but high enough to jump Steelers for Brandon Albert, then parlaying your value to move up in the 2nd to ensure getting a good OT like Cherilus or Baker - Albert goes at right guard next to Tait, new left OT gets paired with Garza on the left side (or maybe even Beekman beats him out, or you bring back a rehealed Ruben Brown for his veteran leadership next to the rookie).
Lot of moving parts there, trade down plus trade up, but if it could happen...
Then RB and WR with your two thirds, QB with your 4th if you must. Rather pick up safety with that pick though.
Zbig's from Arlington Heights? That's where I spent my first 18 years, so I like him even more. Also would want us to consider Marcus Griffin from UT in the 4th.
Worm, virtually no NFL insider thought we were crazy to take Benson with the 4th pick. That's where everyone had him, and giving his bruising style of running and durability in college, he seemed like the perfect fit to be a Chicago Bear.
I'm not sure about him lacking balls, like Jeff said - I just think he lacks motivation and drive - whatever he had, making $13MM in 3 years has sucked it all out of him - which means it was iffy to begin with. If Angelo failed with that pick, it was failing in judging Benson's character. How do you figure out the guys who really love to play from the guys who figured out if they work really hard in college they can be set for life, never to have to work really hard again?
That's apparently Benson, and they missed on his character evaluation. (Same thing happened with Curtis Enis and Rashaad Salaam too).
Get better at figuring how what's inside the football player, not outside. And I'm not talking about being good citizens. Yes I want that, but Benson (who had some of these "citizen" issues at UT) has been a stellar law-abider since he's been here. A lot good that's done us.
Bring us players who are motivated by more than money! Get back soon Dusty D! (as an example)
April 14, 2008
I've been all for Zib for a while now....
....but there is no way in hell I'm givin up our second for him.....
.....maybe our late third, definently forth if he's there....
April 14, 2008
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