One way or another, the Bears have to build a solid running game for next season. Of all the things that went wrong last year, the Bears total inability to move the ball on the ground may have been the most frustrating. The offensive line was horrible and Cedric Benson and Adrian Peterson formed the league’s least formidable rushing tandem.
The Bears seem determined to draft an offensive lineman at pick 14, which is probably a good idea in theory. Only one problem: will the ones left be any good? Jake Long will be gone for sure, and Ryan Clady likely will too. Either Vanderbilt’s Chris Williams or Pitt’s Jeff Otah should be gone as well.
So if Rashard Mendenhall, who visited Halas Hall today, is sitting there at pick 14, say with Williams and Virginia guard Brandon Albert, who would the Bears take?
I fully support the idea of rebuilding the offensive line- after all, that is the Bears biggest weakness- but Mendenhall, for me, would be too good to turn down in that situation.
We may as well put Shard in the TUP Hall of Fame with Grossman, Tyrus, Derrick Rose, Calvin Johnson, Mark Mangino, and the Seventh Floor Crew: he’s one of the five best players in this draft and could be on par Darren McFadden. He will be a star. I’m sure of that. Would the Bears really pass on him with the better half of offensive linemen off the board?
Ideally, Boise State’s Clady would be the pick. He could go as high as pick five, however, and it’s unlikely he’d slip past the Broncos at 12 or the Panthers at 13. It seems no one really knows too much about Chris Williams, the man most mock drafts have the Bears taking. The Broncos have interest in him as well, so he may even be gone. Albert is an interesting case because he’s a dominant guard and some feel he could be a standout left tackle. Otah, who the Fanhouse has the Bears taking, has the biggest bust potential for all three. Guys that big struggle so much in pass protection- just look at former Bills first rounder Mike Williams.
Back to Mendenhall: say the Bears take Albert at 14 with Shard still available, a scenario that I think looks fairly plausible. This would be the worst possible situation for the Bears. The hometown kid then goes to Detroit with the next pick, and suddenly the Bears have four games every year against two of the league’s elite runners in Mendenhall and Adrian Peterson. Shard won’t be as good as Peterson because he’s not as fast but he’ll still be one of the league’s elite backs.
The Bears are going to draft a draft a running back with one of their four picks in the first three rounds, and they should. Benson has been horribly disappointing and it doesn’t seem like any Bears fans think he’ll be able to salvage his career. Peterson is my least favorite Bear and should never touch the ball in any situation. With most NFL teams going with a two-tailback system, Peterson isn’t good enough to be part of one. The Bears are said to like Tulane bruiser Matt Forte and Texas speedster Jamaal Charles is they opt for o-line help in round one.
USC’s Sam Baker would be a great catch if he was there in round two after the Bears took Mendenhall. Nebraska’s Carl Nicks could be an option as well.
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Comments
Are there any Bears fans who still think Benson could amount to something? What a bust. They really can't afford to waste another first rounder this year.
Benson sucks. Here's my indisputable proof: My sports retarded friend drafted him in his league with the 6th overall pick. This is the same kid who went to a Bulls/Celtics game on St. Paddy's Day and cheered for the Celtics until the 3rd quarter when he found out the Bulls were the team wearing green. I can't even make that story up. Thus, Benson is a bust.
I think it's hypocritical to hate Benson and believe in Grossman when they both play behind the same shitty offensive line. I'm not saying Benson is good (he has been mediocre at best since drafted) but I don't understand why people seem to be backing Grossman and not Benson. Racial thing?
Well I certainly don't think all Bears fans defend Rex. And nationally, people probably just think of Ced as a bust, while Grossman is pretty much a punchline. I think Rex backers support him because shown things that other Bears qbs of my lifetime could never do. Even when he fucks up, it's generally because he's trying to make something happen. Benson seems totally apathetic to Bears organization and his entire pro career.
Rex is no doubt sub-par, but he's at least had some good games, and to me, he looks like he cares about football very passionately; I mean, his teammates defend him all the time. Benson, on the other hand, seems to have a frosty relationship with his teammates, kind of seems like a head case, and has never had more than 3 plays in his Bear career where I thought "wow!"
Grossman, with all the bad, has thrown touchdown passes and performed at a high level from time to time. Benson has not.
Stompy, and Rick
I do agree with those sentiments, I was merely raising a question for debate. As far as my opinion on Benson I think he has looked very good in some games (The New Orleans game his rookie year, as well as the Kansas City game in week two) but generally I think he's been plagued by attitude, a terrible offensive line, and a lack of a consistent passing game. And he's also a pussy.
I think your love for Shard is the only thing that matches my hatred for Benson.