Chicago Bears team needs from Yahoo!

by lopey986 on Apr 4, 2007 2:29 AM CDT

Here is a little article that was on Yahoo recently outlining NFC North team needs.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jm-nfcnorthneeds040307&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Here is what they had to say about the Bears.

Chicago Bears
Team needs: OT, CB, WR, TE, RB
Overall pick/round: 31 (1), 37 (2), 94 (3), 130 (4), 168 (5), 221 (7), 241 (7)

OT: Fred Miller is 34 years old and fellow tackle John Tait is 32, so an early play for someone like Joe Staley or Tony Ugoh is possible. If they wait until the third round, names like James Marten, Julius Wilson or Adam Koets could surface as players that fit into the mold of what they are looking for up front.

CB: This would be a pro-active choice as the Bears could lose both Nathan Vasher and Charles Tillman to free agency a year from now. And even though Devin Hester is determined to prove his worth as a corner, his responsibilities could be restricted to return specialist ... and/or wide receiver (see below). There has also been some talk of moving safety Danieal Manning outside, but that would require him to make better decisions while the ball is in the air. The depth of the cornerback position could allow them to make a move on someone either early in the second round or as late as the fourth round and still find a competent defender.

WR: For all the criticism of Rex Grossman, fans and media coverage fail to mention that the Bears have had a very average set of receivers over the past few years, even with the injection of speedy Mark Bradley and versatile Bernard Berrian. The front office has shied away from using top picks on this position, but if one fell to them at No. 31 they would likely evaluate their options. They have added a veteran safety and defensive tackle in recent weeks, so pushing receiver up the draft board is a definite possibility. However, there has also been some talk internally about moving Hester to the offensive side of the ball, but whether it would be a permanent move has not yet been decided.

TE: The 37th overall pick could be right around the range for Arizona State's Zach Miller, but that might be too high for the Bears considering their other needs. However, if they wait too long - as was the case last year - they could find themselves eyeing a list of lower-tier tight ends that would be hard pressed to earn a final roster spot.

RB: Cedric Benson has had some durability issues, plus he has put the ball on the ground and has failed to finish his runs with the same type of intensity he showed while in college. Aside from Benson, they would like to use Adrian Peterson mostly on special teams and Gerald Riggs, Jr. is their only reserve back on their current roster. As a result, investing a mid-round choice on a change-of-pace back like Darius Walker is a consideration. Though, if they address this need earlier, Florida State's Lorenzo Booker is a perfect fit.

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things that make me go hmm..

WR: For all the criticism of Rex Grossman, fans and media coverage fail to mention that the Bears have had a very average set of receivers over the past few years, even with the injection of speedy Mark Bradley and versatile Bernard Berrian. ... However, there has also been some talk internally about moving Hester to the offensive side of the ball, but whether it would be a permanent move has not yet been decided.

That's what I never get about the whole "use Devin as a receiver!!eleven!!12@@" idea. What's to say that Devin would be an improvement at WR over who we have there already? Sure he's got speed, but the way he was putting punts on the ground, I don't think his hands are what you want in a receiver*. I still say to make a push for a top 5 pick and go for Calvin Johnson. Then we can use calvinball references.

* I'd love to be wrong about this, and would happily eat crow.

Unleash your inner Grabowski.

by jrm78 on Apr 4, 2007 7:24 AM CDT reply actions

i have no confidence

in hester's ability to take a hit.

by mike b on Apr 4, 2007 7:45 AM CDT up reply actions

I don't think...

"doing what needs to be done" to get Johnson is all that detrimental. Having quality like Johnson and then Berrian and Bradley makes this a 3 WR team with blocking TE's (with minimal pass-catching skills)-making drafting a TE virtually pointless.

That leaves tackle, corner and running back in the third - seventh rounds (assuming we'd have to give up the second).

(This of course, assumes as well, that the Bears get some quality back for OLB.)

by tyger1147 on Apr 4, 2007 8:15 AM CDT reply actions

i'm not sure

CB is really a position we want to draft late, considering whoever is drafted might be a starter in a year. Same goes for offensive tackle. Those are positions, particularly tackle, where most quality starters are drafted pretty high.

i'm all for getting johnson, as i think he's a game-changer, but for a super bowl team they have a lot of important holes to fill.

by tomas21 on Apr 4, 2007 9:31 AM CDT up reply actions

OL is the most

pressing need with the ages across the board. But you can get qualitly O-linemen later in the draft. It's harder to find quality WR and CBs later in the draft. (Exclude Marques Colston from this argument.) I'm not even getting my hopes up that Calvin Johnson is going to slide past the 4th pick.

I hope this Briggs thing is resolved soon so we know whether or not drafting a LB becomes important.

by kingj41 on Apr 4, 2007 10:30 AM CDT up reply actions

I do agree...

But I think the Bears have had great success in getting Free Agent linemen. Granted, they didn't get Steinbach this year as I hoped, but we don't even know if they put forth a strong effort.

I still wish they hadn't given up on Colombo so soon. I hated the pick at the time, but I believe he just signed a good extension with the Cowboys. I guess they can't be right every time. Oh well.

by tyger1147 on Apr 4, 2007 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions

they didn't put forth a strong effort

at anybody once they saw the type of money teams were willing to spend this year. Angleo likes to bargin shop.

by Adam T on Apr 4, 2007 11:45 AM CDT up reply actions

That's what I figured...

If they offered anyone money at all, it was probably what they were willing to spend, take it or leave it.

by tyger1147 on Apr 4, 2007 1:19 PM CDT up reply actions

He bargain shops a little too much.

Don't get me wrong. I love the way we've been drafting. And I like the roster as-is right now. Although the O-line needs a youth injection, and a back-up RB is necessary.
That said, you've got to spend on your high-profile positions. I was actually hoping we went after my hometown buddy Tony Pashos, but yes, the market limited the Bears pursuit of anyone. The thing that sucks is the reluctance to approach the salary cap. Yes I do like a winning team and the team not over-spending. But I wouldn't mind paying extra to bring home a World Championship.
People have called NE cheap also. But they're winning rings and don't look bad in the fans eyes.

by kingj41 on Apr 4, 2007 1:24 PM CDT up reply actions

you can get good lineman later on the first day

but i agree, i think we have to draft one or two by rounds 3 or 4. as for CB, i think they're more top-heavy - yeah, i know, we got vasher in the 4th round, but most good corners seem to go in the first 2 rounds. if briggs is traded, i'm sure angelo's goal is to amass as many low first/high second round picks as possible. you can get really good players in those spots, while not having to pay the farm to sign them.