Angelo looking for veteran running back

by beardown on Aug 3, 2007 7:49 AM CDT

With Jones gone and Benson's past injury problems. With our other two running being small in stature we would have a major hole for the Bears if Benson went down.

Hidden in this article by David Haugh is this little snippet.

"And if Angelo finds the veteran running back he has been looking for since training camp started, the Panthers just gave him a bargaining chip to offer."

However according to the Bears Roster Peterson is only 1 inch shorter and 10 pounds lighter than Benson. So do you think we need another power back on this team?

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That isn't all that surprising

Benson does have injury problems. Wolfe has shown some he might have problems staying healthy.

If you are going to bring in another back, you might as well get one who has been there and done that since ours are all inexperienced.

by Adam T on Aug 3, 2007 7:54 AM CDT reply actions

At the very least

get one for the practice squad or keep him on the roster as a FB or something just in case there is an issue.

I think Wolfe will be fine, they're just being cautious this early in the game, especially with a hamstring issue...

"World Champs" on 3. 1...2...3, "WORLD CHAMPS!"

by mikebdot on Aug 3, 2007 8:35 AM CDT reply actions

....when they offered Chris Brown a reasonable deal. And don't think they didn't. The only reason he's not a Bear is because he has a better chance at starting for the Titans. And that's exactly why he would have been perfect for the Bears--he's a borderline starter.

by tyger1147 on Aug 3, 2007 8:37 AM CDT reply actions

True

but we have enough health questions that we need a guy who is always there.

by Adam T on Aug 3, 2007 9:43 AM CDT up reply actions

yeah

but guys like that aren't exactly easy to come by...besides, Peterson is not exactly what i would call "small in stature". Maybe on TV he looks small but he is just as big (probably bigger) than TJ and i think he is a damn good number 2.

by lopey986 on Aug 3, 2007 12:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Peterson has always looked...

good carrying the ball two or three times a game when the others were resting, but it seems like the few games I've seen where he's given significant carries he never looks as good as I'd hoped.

I think Angelo would like to have a proven veteran just in case they need someone to start a game or two, what with Benson's recent health history and Wolfe already sitting out of some camp stuff due to soreness. He's probably not going to work up a sweat looking for one, though...

by Marcus on Aug 3, 2007 4:35 PM CDT reply actions

I don't know what games you've watched...

...but that first sentence is just untrue. Okay, maybe he "looked" bad, but he certainly wasn't.

In his first two years, he carried the ball more than four times a few instances and was sporadic. Other than that, in 2004, 2005 & 2006, '05 was the only year he got more than 4 carries in a game.

And his numbers are pretty damn good.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/gamelog?statsId=6134&year=2005

Say what you want about the competition, but the few opps. he's gotten to show himself, he definitely has.

by tyger1147 on Aug 3, 2007 4:48 PM CDT up reply actions

You're right.

I definitely had this idea that he'd struggled when given more carries, but I'm not sure where I got that idea.

I wonder if he'll see carries on a more regular basis this year, or if they'll try to avoid that because of how valuable he is on special teams. I liked having two solid running backs splitting carries like Benson and Jones did last season, even if they apparently didn't like it, so it'd be really nice to see Peterson emerge as someone who can carry parts of games. Maybe it wouldn't bother Benson as much this time since Peterson only gets backup money.

by Marcus on Aug 4, 2007 10:10 PM CDT up reply actions

Kevan Barlow

was available all off-season, and Angelo didn't go for him. Honestly, he would have been perfect: he could've been the #2 that has been a full times effectively in the past. Wolfe could've been the #3 and AP the 1st could've stayed locked down on ST where he is for a solid contributor.

Must've been something else. Now, only Corey Dillon is left and he's for sure says he's retired.

Angelo gets high grade for the off-season thus far, but he snoozed on this one and it could bite him in the ass.

by PopeFlick on Aug 6, 2007 9:51 AM CDT reply actions

Fortunately, there will be plenty of backs cut.

It might just be a bunch of back-ups, but it might also be someone who's fallen from a starting spot (or significant backup role) who now costs too much. They may not end up signing anyone, but I think there will still be at least one or two viable options available.

Chris Brown and barlow probably would have been my two choices.

by tyger1147 on Aug 6, 2007 11:29 AM CDT up reply actions