Full Court Press

The Bears cannot afford to have a number one draft choice become a bust once again. Why draft a RB when you have no OL? What good would it do to draft Mendenhall only to have him tackled in the backfield? Take the safer pick and draft an OT. Move Tait to his more comfortable spot and then you have the tackles taken care of. Games are won in the trenches. Keep in mind that Minnesota may very well have three all pro defensive linemen, we need to counter that with a strong OL and that starts with our number one pick this year.

Mendenhall and then Anthony Collins in the second...and two more OLineman throughout the draft....cut Benson June 1st

If Alexander can get released with the contract he had...I rest my case on that one...

Mendenhall is the best RB in this draft...McFadden can't run between the tackles and he sure as heck can't run thru a tackler....and Stewart.. doesn't have the burst/acceleration that RM has...but I'd still take him at 14 before I'd waste my pick

Orton didn't have a problem with the line the last two games....a 4'9" statue of a QB who's afraid to step up and a RB who can't block/run/catch/dress himself....is what made the line look so bad last year..

OLIne needs to be addressed...but all this "sky is falling lets take a long shot OT at 14" is getting old

two more days till I'm disappointed...

Honestly tho, I'm more concerned about Chris Long going to Oakland

same as last year, tho..."Without RexandCed"...we'll be fine

As Much as I am all about the O-line......how could anyone pass up Mendenhall? I was watching the Espn show, where they had all the top prospects run around and do s*it. Mendenhall ran around and did s*it!!!!!!! Far more impressive than Mcfadden and Stewart. Hart was a joke. I think he may be gone before Da's get to pick. He will be special....the o'line is about development anyway...you can always find a good one somewhere if you have the time to invest. Unfortunately, in college, they are either great run blockers or great pass blockers, rarely both. PLUS, you have to definately think about keeping them on the shorter side, if Rex is in the plans for a while----and if that's the case,then they should probably be good tacklers too!!!

J.K. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEXXXXX

I say go Chris Williams in the first. The guy has only allowed 2 sacks in 2 years (you heard that right) and let's face it, we can't win without an offensive line, nobody can. Without an offensive line, the QB can't succeed and neither can the running back. We need to go O-line all the way. Not too mention the depth at running back is off the charts and I think we should get Matt Forte in the 2nd round. Forte will be a Thomas Jones like back. A guy that does nothing great but everything very well. Not to mention he is a high character guy and thats something that we also need. So O-line in the first and RB in the 2nd. Chis Williams and Matt Forte!

Anyone who disagrees with Roman or JDC needs to reconsider. They are both right on, and if that doesn't convince you, read Mariotti's column championing the opposing view. Where does M.live? In a cave?

There is nothing more scary in all of sports than Jerry Angelo armed with a 1st and 2nd round draft pick. let alone thinking offense with those picks. Slick's overall track record with the draft, especially the last couple of years, is not very good.

I think we one or two ways, Draft Mendenhall, then move up in the second rd to get Kenny phillips if he's still available. We cant do anything with "the MATADOR" D.Manning. Then choose 2 OL in the 3rd.... OR get an OL in the first, QB in the 2nd, Then go CHOICE,C.Johnshon, or K.Smith in the 3rd...I choose the former because I want to win now...

I'm not really sold on Williams from Vandy. From what I've seen, he's more of a patty-cake pass blocker with little drive in the running game. Since the Bears are a run-run-play action pass team, we need someone who can maul a defensive end on a run as well as pancake one on a pass. Williams doesn't look like that kind of guy.
I agree with stuckinwisconsin regarding the college tackles (at least in this draft). Jake Long was the only dual threat.
We need a line this year, and I'm hoping we can draft at least two or three future starters, but how realistic is that?
I personally would like to see Mendenhall drafted by our Bears, but he will need a hole to run through. If that's the case, I think that the Bears need mauling guards more than a patty-cake tackle. And guards are always available late.
I can't bear another year of seeing Ced fall over his own feet or off of an arm-tackle 3 yards past the line of scrimage. He's gone the way of Neal Anderson (after the injury)... he doesn't trust his legs and ability to avoid getting hurt.
So, if available, my choice is to get Mendenhall first round, and possibly Sam Baker (if not taken) in the 2nd round. Then two third round guards (unless Zibikowski is available). I'm not worried about replacing the quarterbacks this year, yet. Let's see how the current regime does with a running game and some protection. Plus, if we get new pieces for an offensive line, they will need time to gel-- which normally is 2 to 3 games after the first string quarterback is hurt for the season. Why get your blue-chipper rookie quarterback killed?

In this order:

1. Mendenhall
2. New GM
3. New O Coord.
4. OL
5. OL
6. OL

I believe drafting an exciting running back with good speed, good power between the tackles and the ability to catch and run with the ball will boost the spirits of an aging OLine more than drafting an OLineman. Plus OLines are often filled out with 2nd, 3rd and 4th round picks who turn out to be better -- and more affordable -- choices than 1st rounders.

Plus Mendenhall will have added incentive to produce. His family is local and we know where they live.

Okay, I'm just kidding about that last line.

Well, sorta anyway.

One thing I love about these blog posts is that you can easily spot which people really know their sports or not. I can't believe how many people are even suggesting Mendenhall at the Bears' #14 1st Round pick. I can understand if Angelo stirs up rummors telling the media outlets that they are contemplating Mendenhall as a smokescreen draft strategy to other football teams, but to those "football expert fans" out there shouting for Rashard Mendenhall, let me paint a clear picture for you:

At present, the Bears need an offensive Tackle and an Offensive Guard. We lost 2 starters in Fred Miller and Reuben Brown and these are 2 gaping holes that need to be addressed! If the line was already bad last season, can you imagine how it is now without 2 veteran starters? Plus, Tait and Kreutz are already past their prime and Garza can barely stand with 2 surgically-repaired knees. After that, we have unproven Josh Beekman (who casual Bear fans barely even know), a still-developing Terrence Metcalf and then John St. Clair. Oh my goodness... We didn't sign any offensive line free agents and the draft is all we have to address the glaring problem/s on offense. If you draft Mendenhall, then you risk losing out on any potential impact offensive linemen that you can get in the 1st round with what is supposed to be a deep draft of solid early round Offensive Lineman. And there is no guarantee that a Sam Baker will even be available for the Bears in Round 2 as well, but even then, that's just 1 guy. Drafting Mendenhall is not smart drafting, people. Use your heads please.

You have to take an o-lineman in the first round. Franchise tackles Chris Samuels, Pace, Jansen, Mckinnie, and etc. are not found later in the draft. Unless you have three to five years to develop a player. This was last year and will be this year the weakest postion on this team. Mendenhall is going to be a fine NFL player, but he wouldn't do squat on this Bears team without some more help up front.

Haven't the Bears learned their lesson by now? They should NOT draft any skill positions with their first round pick. Hasn't really worked out well in the recent past, even though I think whoever gets Mendenhall is going to be very happy. And please don't draft Chad Henne. I don't think he's the next Tom Brady.

Anyone else not looking forward to seeing Jared Allen all over Rex Grossman (or the QB du jour) twice a year for the next however long?

Roman, as much as I would like to be with you on this one, my gut feeling says take Rashard if he's there. Three key reasons;

1) You say draft for the future, why not a running back, or Q.B., or safety for that reason? Benson has proved as much to me as Ki-Jana Carter, and I disagree wholeheartedly about whether Mendenhall could possibly be very good in the N.F.L. I think he could be rookie of the year.

2) The offensive line crop is probably the deepest position in the draft, and while I think Williams may be better than some of the guys projected ahead of him, there is not much drop-off on the trailers. V Techs' Duane Brown will easily be there when the Bears draft in the second round, and this guy could end up being the second or third best out of the group, he's that talented. And Kansas had a solid player in Anthony Collins.

3) Whatever way we go, we need more than solid players to change our fortunes, but a home grown prospect and some Lady-Luck may just make for a storybook ending.

Then again, with Angelo, we're probably all just spinnin' our wheels.

Edgar, just because a few of us suggest taking Mendenhall, doesn't put us in a know-nothing catagory. On the contrary, it can easily be said that anyone thinking about taking an offensive lineman with the first pick, in an offensive lineman heavy draft, doesn't know their sports. Or, what good is a, POSSIBLE, future stud on the offensive line without any other support at the other line spots, a Q.B. who stuggles with lanes, or with a third string running back.

Let me paint a clearer picture for you. We are more apt to having a good lineman fall into our laps in the later rounds than a good running back and NOTHING is a sure thing. The plusses versus the minusses say Rashard.

Not to mention a good handful of know-nothing experts at draft central have the Bears taking Mendenhall at ONE.

No Edgar, these posts don't show who knows what. It shows opinion, and whom of the 50% of bloggers chose heads or tails correctly.

Plllllllease, let's not start with the all the draft day moves and crap that you drum up while you spend your lonely lunchour in your car that couldn't pass an emissions test if it ran on your own odorless sh*t.
Bottle your self-indulgent thoughts and package them in a nice thread for Mary Mitchell's blog, where you will be at home with other self-righteous, half-educated yahoo's .

if Rex is in the plans for a while----and if that's the case,then they should probably be good tacklers too!!!
-stuckinwisconsin

Always good for a hidden laugh. Now, if we could just get you to clean up your language young man.

I think the bears shoud pick up Chris Williams in the first then Chris Johnson in the second. Chris Johnson is a burner and since the bears staff seems to be unintelligent enough to keep Cedric Benson around why no get a fast back that isnt small. Have you seen Chris Johnson, if you dont get a hand on the kid, hes gone. He would easily be able to help in special teams also, the bears already have the best special teams with a guy like him they would be even better. So much depth in Chris Johnson pick, they say he hasnt proved himself to be durable and that he cant break tackles. blah blah blah, the kid isnt afraid to run inside and ive seen him break enough tackles to become a fan. In the nfl speed kills, if they are afraid he cant break tackles put him in the weight room let him gain some weight. So what if it cuts his 40 time by .1 seconds. The kids ran a 4.2 forty for God's sake.

I am against picking mendenhall in the first round however, you have to build an online before you can build a team. I think that mendenhall will have a great career however, mcfadden is a tempting bust in the making. He doesnt have natural skill of the LT or AP. Bust Bust Bust.

My RB list: Mendenhall, McFadden, Stewart, then Forte/Johnson. I want Johnson on the bears over all of them however.

1st pick: OL
2nd:RB
3rd: QB

Then go from there picking the best players that fit the teams need, i cant wait to see what defensive player they pick. Other than the big name guys i cant dont see any standout defender.

I think thatg the bears should draft Williams if hes on the board....with the Dolphins picking Jake Long, that is one more tackle that wont be there. That means there is a higher chance that he wont be there. If Williams is gone and the decision is between Otah or Cherilus or somebody like that and Mendenhall, whoever still wants that tackle over him is lying to themselves. I take Mendenhall if CW isnt there....but we need another tackle cause St. Clair isnt good enough...move him to guard.

""....Anyone else not looking forward to seeing Jared Allen all over Rex Grossman (or the QB du jour) twice a year for the next however long?""

I am...I mean..it won't happen...The Vikings are late in the year...Wets won't make it past Indy if he's once again given a job.....watching Grossman in the pocket is freaking hilarious, tho...I like how he traps the ball with his open, shivering palms between his thighs before he performs that bent over submission fall Pep taught him...Not to be out done by him jumping up and down behind the podium trying to reach the mic ... wishing he knew what was wrong....

Orton would just step up and exploit the short to intermediate middle of the field...because he can see it

Get up.. come on get down with the Kneckbeard

and Seedy...you're right...and you saw Kruetz and the line when they had AP and Orton back there...A QB who can step up and fire lasers.. and a RB who can pick up blitzes...makes it a lot easier creating a pocket for the O Line...it's basic football...yes...101

I wonder why I never see a RexandCed fan in public....you all must be corporate plants...

DRAFT MENDENHALL....

You are not going to get an entire line in one draft and picking a O lineman is not going to make Benson good or even average.
Let's face it... Benson was a bust before he broke his leg and anyone that believes that he is going to do anything other than make you pull your hair out is living in fantasy land.
Did the Bears wait till they had an all pro line before drafting Walter Payton?
Take Mendenhall and then go after someone to block for him.
At least he can get you some yards on his own while Benson will suck even behind the best line in the league.
If you are really are going to start Grossman or Orton with the receivers that they have right now then don't you think that they have got to have someone to keep the other team's defense honest?
That is why they call it a RUNNING Game and not a blocking game.

Hitman: "watching Grossman in the pocket is freaking hilarious, tho...I like how he traps the ball with his open, shivering palms between his thighs before he performs that bent over submission fall Pep taught him...Not to be out done by him jumping up and down behind the podium trying to reach the mic ... wishing he knew what was wrong....".

That is the funniest post I have read in a long time! I was laughing so hard I couldn't see my keyboard. Just awesome Hitman.

I agree with Hitman. Draft a REAL Running Back 1st. The the second the Commissioner says" With the 14th Pick the Chicago Bears take: Mendenhall, Stewart or Johnson" cut Benson and use the money you save on Hester. Then pick Andre Woodson or Joe Flacco for the future. Get O-Line help next, Safety(Zilbokowski) and a big Wide Receiver. Then fire Lovie, Turner and Babich. Hire Mike Singletary to coach the Team. Hire Tom Moore from the Colts to run your offense. Get Norm Chow to develop your new quarterback, and Dick LeBeau from the Steelers to run the Defense, institute the 3-4 and run a REAL Defense instead of the "Lovie Smith Cover Two stop no one from scoring" scheme they are using now.
The Bears would have a chance to be a real footbal team again.

Roman, I love ya, but you're wrong on this one. Well, your partially wrong...

The Bears do need OL help badly. But we're kidding ourselves if we think that two or preferably THREE new linemen are going to have good enough cohesion and savvy in their rookie years to make much difference this season.

Mendenhall might be the only chance we get to take some pressure off of the Kyle Grossman combo at QB. if we put those two behind rookie linemen, handing off to Cedric we are essentially writing off their Bears careers as well. Mendenhall *might* just be special enough to run behind our *cough* cough* - line. If he is, then our alleged QB's might just salvage their Bears careers.

Therefore - Mendenhall, 3 OL, safety, developmental QB, and whatever looks good where you pick after that... I don't include WR because we have too many other problems to deal with early on.

Hitman, some folks like Rex, some folks (I don't know whom) like Ced, but no one in the city is stupid enough to like both.

lol, thanks Ed...and I agree back after reading what ya said....The QB I wanna bring in is Kevin O' Connell, tho...5th round...I wanna dump the rest of our earlier picks on O Line ...and yes.. Zbikowski is important as well...but if we don't use the first pick on day two (first pick, 3rd round)...he'll be gone....at WR..Maurice Purify or Paul Hubbard later on....

and Philtration..no kiddin, huh?..we are a running team...you'd think a RB would be the first piece of the puzzle...how many years was it before Payton had an all pro lineman?...was it 10?

Bill...getting on my Forte' train!!!

I love it.

Forte' will be the steal of the draft...and best RB taken..not Mendenhal or dude from Arkansas.

I thought we were getting some comprehensive draft eve analysis from our resident self proclaimed Draftspert....

and here we are less than 24hrs away...and all we got is

Draft a RB and an OL?

what the hell? if i were paying for your insider subscription..i would want a full refund!

Navarro, you misunderstood, I said what I said in that manner because I was just trying to stir things up in a sports debate about Mendenhall vs. an Offensive Lineman and especially because this particular blog board is DOMINATED by those who want the Bears to draft Mendenhall. If I really thought I knew the sport better than everyone, I would be working for a professional sports organization full time.

Now that being said, I think building from the offensive line up is the best plan to rejuvenate an offensive scheme. I don't think people give enough credit to the offensive line. It's not a glorified position and it doesn't sell tickets and TV viewers. How many times have you heard NFL star quarterbacks and running backs give their O-line the biggest props during interviews? For me, I hear it almost all the time during victories. An elite offensive line unit can make mediocre RB's and QB's look good and make very good RB's and QB's look great, that's the bottom line in my opinion because they create the holes and they protect their QB the best. With the Bears, they not only have 2 MAMMOTH holes to address on that O-Line, and I'm not talking a simple player upgrade, but they literally have no one on the current roster right now to replace Reuben Brown and Fred Miller. You really want to roll the dice on let's say a 3rd and 4th or 5th round draft picks to fill in those 2 gaps as full time starters in their rookie season?? Plus, they're already old at Kreutz's and Tait's positions and Garza is one leg swipe away from suffering a career-ending injury! Yes, of course their have been plenty of draft pick busts in every position, but more often than not, the elite Offensive Linemen (and I'm talking Hall of Fame type material) in the NFL have usually been drafted in the first round. You can't ignore it and say "oh well, the Bears have always missed on drafting the O-Line". That's a terrible way to go about planning out a draft with glaring needs on the Offensive Line.

Look, I like Mendenhall a lot also, but he's not Barry Sanders. He's going to get killed back there without an offensive line to help him. It's a bad injury waiting to happen. He's a workout warrior, but he doesn't possess the elusive instincts of an all-pro NFL running back. Just my opinion of course, but I'm a U of I grad and I watched many home games in the last 2 years watching this guy.

Still gotta disagree with most of you guys... Bears should draft Offensive Linemen in the first and 3rd round. You can find another good RB in the 2nd round... this draft is also supposedly deep in the RB position.

Nothing is more important than the LINE.

I think that Forte is underated, but i dont think that he would fit into the bears system as well as chris johnson. Maybe in the past when the bears had an oline that could open up holes, but Forte just doesnt have the burst to create something out of nothing. Chris Williams may not be able to move the pile like Forte but he make plays out of nothing and he breaks tackles well when he keeps his pad levels low. I truly would not mind seeing the bears go:

Round 1.OL Chris Williams if he is there.
2.RB Chris Johnson he will be there, great steal, kr specialist, wr, and rb.
3.Qb or OL: I really dont care for the Qb draft class this year, all of them are overated, Matt Ryan will not become a perennial pro-bowler.

You guys must see what im going at. If the bears dont select Chris Williams and get a three for one special, I am going to be insulted. He may be one of the rawest rb coming out but with work, he can become a super-star.

Draft Mendenmamendha.....Rashard(j.k.)

The draft is about taking the best player on the board, regardless of position, and is Mendenhall better than any tackle.....yes. Give him the keys, draft an o-lineman in the middle rounds, and let Julie show us her pit-vipress.

Of course, now I know know nothing about football, even though It's my main sport, and I just love playing it. I believe in building from the trenches...I also believe in growing o-line talent.

Chucky, it's so risky to take a high-profile position like RB that early, and the Bears have not had much luck in the recent past doing that. I know what you are saying - great players are hard to come by, get them while they're still available, and it happens to be one of our biggest "need" positions. But there's no guarantee with Mendenhall, or Matt Ryan or any of the other guys that come with enormous expectations. Mendenhall also has the added pressure of being a local guy. Bears should get a highly touted player at #14, but someone with less of a "name" would serve them better.

OT in the first RD!!!Mendenhall isnt that good.and niether is tewart. and O-lineman arent a project they have it or they dont!Cris Williams or who ever falls to us i do agree that mendehall is all around better than McFadden tho.
RD1 OT
RD2 RB or WR
RD3 Saftey
we need a Off Gaurd and Takle so maybe, oh well ill let da bears figure it out.

Here's a shocker! How about for once, the Bears actually trade up. But since this is the Bears I think they will trade down, out of the first round, and pick up a 7th rounder. But hey, it's better than drafting offensive line in the first round.

If Mendenhall falls, you have to take him. If we don't, the Lions will, and then we have to face Peterson and Mendenhall a total of 4 times a year. Mendenhall helps us a lot and will hurt the Lions while taking a tackle helps us a little and greatly helps the Lions. This will be all mute since Mendenhall will most likely be gone before we pick. In this case, take OT.

It's 3 am...mike in Ft Wayne is on the clock...and the phone rings
ok..I get it now
I'd rather have Hillary pick

I still think we should trade up for Ryan or take Andre Woodsen from Kentucky.

Thats right, the driver of the Rexwagon would love to see a new QB...

All you Ortonphiles who think the Neckbeard is our future bascially have no creditbilty with me this season.

You need 2 guards and tackles for every offensive play why not replenish with top quality once in a while.Since 1999 Bears haven't drafted much quality at OL.G-Beekman at 130 in 07.
T-Colombo at 29 who was the 4th T picked as well as G-Metcalf at 93 they were drafted back in 02.Grab 2 OL in first 4 picks and the best RB/WR/QB with the other 2.Remember in 85 we had Covert#6,Hillgenberg,Thayer#91,Bortz#219,Becker#146,Van Horn #11. The line kicked A$$. Just suck it up and strengthen the OL, safe but not flashy.

If I could run the Bears draft I would be tempted to trade the #1 for hopefully a 2 & 3 or 2 & 4. Because of poor judgement with prior #1s or due to injury we need picks. With two #2's I think Sam Baker would still be available, then, hopefully, Chad Henning. If he has been taken I would drop a QB pick a little lower in the draft. My next picks would be RB Matt Forte or Chris Johnson, WR Josh Morgan or Maracus Smith, DT have know idea who would be available but it does need to be addressed; SS Craig Steltz or Jamar Adams, OL best available, WR best availabe, ILB J. Leman or Spencer Larsen (one of them should be available) and round out the draft with OL's. All of this is preditated on the trade and, of course, the availability of the athletes.

LINE! LINE!! LINE!!! LINE!!!! LINE!!!!!

Julie: