It hasn't been the best offseason for the Bears, who just watched their rival Vikings pick up a major piece today. But then again, when has it been a good offseason for the Bears? Even when they have good drafts, there always seems to be less excitement about them than most teams in the offseason.
They sit at 14 currently, and it's a draft that might be about 10 players deep at the top with a dropoff in talent at that point. They have expressed an interest in possibly trading back a few spots, but who would come up to make a deal? It's very possible that the Broncos or the Panthers could trump the Bears' plans of taking a talented offensive tackle, and they can't move too far down, considering that the Chiefs might be thinking O-tackle with their newly acquired No. 17 choice.
If Jeff Otah is there, it'll be hard to pass. Same with Ryan Clady. But is Vandy's Chris Williams the kind of guy that OL coach Harry Hiestand could coach up and make tougher? Is he ready to start at right tackle?
Any lingering Matt Ryan talk aside, the interesting wild-card position might be running back, where Jonathan Stewart -- if he's there, and there's evidence to suggest he won't be -- would be tough to pass up and where Rashard Mendenhall, who has worked with Ron Turner previously, would be interesting.
But as it stand now, offensive tackle is the spot that makes the most sense, perhaps after a small trade down, something Jerry Angelo has done before.
And now the million-dollar question: Does anybody else think the Bears might be staring 5-11 in the face? Raise your hands if you too have trouble finding an offensive player on that team that impresses you.
Comments (6)
The Vikings bet the farm on Jared Allen. It reminds me of the Herschel Walker trade a few years ago. The guy is a huge risk with his history. The Packers look to be pretty solid and in a position to improve the team through the draft. I won't believe the Lions are better until they prove it. The Bears seem to be in a real funk. They have done absolutely nothing to help the team and have actually gone backwards. With Urlacher acting up and getting near the end of his career it looks like the Bears on a severe downward trend.
Posted by Ron | April 24, 2008 12:39 PM
Posted on April 24, 2008 12:39
I think the vikings, with the exception of being short a quarterback and a quality wide out, Berrian is severely overrated, have a good chance at butting heads with Dallas and New York, I guess, for being top dog in the NFC. Jared Allen will be huge for the Vikings. Unfortunately I am a Bears fan. Since Angelo and Smith(A.K.A wonder Twins) don't seem to be going anywhere, the Bears should at least take a cue from KC and unload Urlacher to the Pats, as much as it hurts me to say it.
Posted by Ryan | April 25, 2008 1:47 AM
Posted on April 25, 2008 01:47
Bears have to take Mendenhall if he is available. If not trade first and second picks for Brady Quinn.
Posted by Michael | April 25, 2008 10:49 AM
Posted on April 25, 2008 10:49
The Bears are in a great situation right now. This is a great time for the Bears to add depth to an already solid team. Last year they stunk and still went 7-9 and should have been 8-8 or 9-7 if it wasn't for 4 quarter collapses. The packers lose Favre, Detroit still is terrible and the Vikings grabbed a great DE but they have huge holes in the secondary and QB. WR's are good but the QB can't get the ball to them. The Bears did not go get any big priced free agents who most of the time are overated. If fact, they let go of 2 over rated WR's and saved a bunch of money.
Harris, Urlacher, and Hester will be taken care of just like Briggs (best move for Bears). Offensively they do look weak but add a 2nd back, an offensive tackle and a WR and you have the makings of a solid team. It was not long ago that Trent Dilfer won a super bowl.
Posted by Don Smith | April 25, 2008 2:53 PM
Posted on April 25, 2008 14:53
Why did you guys remove the article written under "Around the NFL" which said that the Bears whiffed the most in the first round draft???
Is it because Hub was doing a Radio Show in Chicago and essentially backing up the Bears decisions?
Have you no integrity????
By the way, I have copied the article from your website along with your other negative comments concerning the Bears and hope to send them to both the Sun Times and Tribune----and I hope to get this "quick removal" of negative material from your website on one of the Radio Shows on 670 the Score this week to reveal what a phoney ol' Hub is.
The link said: The Bears make the worst move of the day: and here is the material ( your guy didn't even get the draft number correct)
"The Bears just made the worst move of the day
I believe -- and this is just my humble opinion -- that the Bears whiffed hard with their pick, taking Chris Williams at 15. With Branden Albert on the table, and Jeffrey Otah also there for the taking, they went with a guy I guess they had just zeroed in on and thought, "Why not?" I am oversimplifying things, of course, but I feel like the Bears just wren't prepared to decide between Williams and Albert, and when they were forced to, they went with the guy they were prepared to settle for.
I watched Williams closely at the Senior Bowl. I spent most of my time watching the OL-DL and DB-WR drills that week, and I watched Williams very closely. A scout told me before the week that Williams had the chance to make himself a first-round pick with a good week. He had a good, but hardly great, week. He was beaten by Arkansas DT Marcus Harrison more than once, and the only guys he dominated in pass-rush drills were "three-techniques" he isn't likely to match up with much in the pros.
More so than the Bengals getting bamboozled a little with Derrick Harvey and Sedrick Ellis going off the board before their pick, I think the Bears hold the title for worst move of the day."
Tags:Branden Albert Chicago Bears Chris Williams NFL draft
Posted
Posted by Joseph Jagiello | April 26, 2008 5:43 PM
Posted on April 26, 2008 17:43
Here are some more of your negative comments about the Bear's first round draft choice from
I tried to get Hub on the Bears draft show but they wouldn't let me through----you guys are getting just like all of our politician liars--
saying one thing and writing another !!!!!!!!
By Nolan Nawrocki
April 26, 2008
14. Chicago — OT Chris Williams, Vanderbilt
With the versatile Branden Albert still available, it's a surprise that the Bears would pass him, especially given the multiple holes that exist on their offensive line. However, Chris Williams has great feet and athletic ability and is very smart. He should allow John Tait to move back to the ORT position that he played in Kansas City. One pitfall that could eventually sting, however, is that the Bears now have two short-armed edge protectors and have to worry about both being injured, given that Williams was removed from some draft boards for back concerns and Tait is well aged. Williams lacks the killer instinct, tenacity and nastiness that has definied traditionally tough Bears offensive linemen, but he does fill a huge position of need.
15. Kansas City (from Detroit) — OL Branden Albert, Virginia
Give Carl Petrson huge credit for capitalizing on the Bears' pass, beating the Eagles to the punch and addressing their depleted offensive line. Albert could start immediately at either OLT or OLG positions, depending on what other offensive linemen the Chiefs could land in this draft. Albert is big, strong, physical and explosive and brings tremendous value at this selection, irrelevant of whether he lines up at guard or tackle, because of his Pro Bowl potential. The Kansas City Chiefs have improved themselves greatly.
Posted by Joseph Jagiello | April 26, 2008 5:49 PM
Posted on April 26, 2008 17:49