Chicago Bears Meet With Darren McFadden and Felix Jones

by WCG on Mar 25, 2008 11:06 AM CDT in News

If I tried to speculate what the Bears will do in this year's draft, I would say that if we stay at pick #14 we go with an offensive linemen.

If however by some divine intervention Darren McFadden slipped past #10 I could see the Bears making a move.

If, which is more likely, the Bears move down and the likes of Chris Williams and Ryan Clady are gone, I could see the Bears looking at a guy like Felix Jones, depending on how far they deal back.

I think from a strategy stand point the Bears know that in the first 3-4 rounds they know the positions they want and they are just going to see who is available and what type of deals are out there and take whatever they deem to be most beneficial to them.

Either way the Bears are meeting with both backs involved in those two scenarios.

If the Bears' interest in either one or both is genuine, it could signal Benson's rehabilitation from a fractured left ankle is behind and the possibility would then exist he will be phased out of the team's plans. Benson had the walking cast he was in removed Dec. 31, and general manager Jerry Angelo said following the season he still believed the fourth pick from the 2005 draft could be a featured back. But actions speak louder than words, and if the Bears were to maneuver up in the first round of the draft to grab McFadden, or down to snare Jones, it would likely signal the end of the road for Benson.

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McFadden,

For the love of god, please move up and draft mcfadden. address the oline with later rounds. could you imagine mcfadden and hester on o at the same time. it will hide a lot of the oline problems, especially with some new blood coming in.

by rahulsriram on Mar 25, 2008 11:16 AM CDT 0 recs

Still need an offensive lineman

Yea, it would be great if the Bears could draft the best player in the draft, Darren McFadden or to draft Felix Jones later in the draft but where will they be running? They will be running right into a wall which Jerry Angelo and the Bears call an "offensive line". If Chris Williams or Ryan Clady are not at pick #14, the Bears should trade down and draft Jeff Otah (if he is there) or another offensive lineman. Offensive line is the NUMBER ONE position the Bears need to draft, and draft well. Without an offensive line, the Bears will get no production from Benson or whoever the running back will be and Grossman or Orton will be sacked...a lot...as usual, again!

by whitebearsox23 on Mar 25, 2008 11:23 AM CDT 0 recs

we need a face

for the franchise on the offensive side!!, I mean for the love of all thats above us, how many of you own a present day offensive player jersey? (Hester doesnt count) any hands? I understand if we trade up and get him he wouldnt have much to run behind, but think of what we could build around him?? Theres a reason why all the mock drafts have him goin to either the Jets or Raiders and he never fell past the 6th pick, So why would the Bears even bother visiting with him if theyre not interested in the possibility of getting him?, I know Im rambling at this point, sorry.

btw, does anyone ever look at the Rumor Central on espn.com? If so, whats this all about?

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/features/rumors?&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finside r.espn.go.com%2fnfl%2ffeatures%2frumors

could be something that might be worth looking into or maybe its nothing.

by DaNate23 on Mar 25, 2008 11:41 AM CDT 0 recs

Insider rumor

For those w/out Insider access

Chicago Bears
Bears in the running?
Bears coach Lovie Smith had lunch with Arkansas running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones on Monday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The Bears also plan to attend Arkansas' pro day.

That the Bears are showing interest in the Razorback runners could mean they're losing faith in current featured back Cedric Benson, who has yet to fulfill his potential and is recovering from a fractured left ankle.

The Bears have the No. 14 pick in April's draft. They would likely have to trade up to land McFadden, a projected top-five pick.

by cltcprd on Mar 25, 2008 12:33 PM CDT up 0 recs

Thank You

I appreciate that, I thought it would be about more, but anything is cool.

by DaNate23 on Mar 25, 2008 12:38 PM CDT up 0 recs

Wait

so ESPN insider is reporting the exact same info I linked to for free?

by WCG on Mar 25, 2008 1:05 PM CDT up 0 recs

Exactly!!!!

GO BEARS!!!!!

by McRipper on Mar 25, 2008 1:27 PM CDT up 0 recs

Another SB site

had something posted awhile back where ESPN Insider instead of reporting the news like it was their own actually had you pay , so they could tell you that somebody else was reporting something.

by WCG on Mar 25, 2008 1:33 PM CDT up 0 recs

Total bullshit

is the ESPN website. Their "insider" information is standard info on Foxsports, Yahoo or CNNSI. It's a joke.

GO BEARS!!!!!

by McRipper on Mar 25, 2008 1:36 PM CDT up 0 recs

Yeah

That's why I let my ESPN "Insider" subscription run out after the first year. It's really nothing you can't find anywhere else.

by Doctor Chicago on Mar 25, 2008 1:35 PM CDT up 0 recs

Jersey?

No disrespect, but who gives a rat's ass about a jersey. If you think that trading away multiple picks to move up and land McFadden and that would immediately improve our offense you are kidding yourself. If you don't see that Offensive line is our biggest need then I don't know what to tell you. Our team's success doesn't adhere to what offensive player's jersey is the highest in sales. I don't think it's a coincidence that all the consistently good teams in football have good offensive lines.

GO BEARS!!!!!

by McRipper on Mar 25, 2008 1:34 PM CDT up 0 recs

Dude

you can easily get good offensive lineman in lower rounds. Let us not forget that Kruetz was a 3rd rounder.

by Chad on Mar 25, 2008 2:04 PM CDT up 0 recs

Yeah you can

but unlikely that they will come in and make a contribution (Beekman). Centers are usually mid-round picks and with Kreutz we definitely got a good one. And i do agree that you can get a lot of low round olineman but I doubt the Bears will with their offensive talent evaluators.

GO BEARS!!!!!

by McRipper on Mar 25, 2008 2:09 PM CDT up 0 recs

your dumb

I wasnt about sales, if you actually read what I put there, I was saying that we need a good face for the franchise on the offensive side. I dont care if no ones jersey sold as long as we were winning. But thats ok, maybe next time you can do something we learned when we were wee children and thats to Read...

by DaNate23 on Mar 25, 2008 8:37 PM CDT up 0 recs

no reason to learn to Write though

"Kyle Orton and Jack Daniel's could be the greatest songwriting duo since Rodgers and Hammerstein." - DJ Gallo

by mike b on Mar 25, 2008 9:17 PM CDT up 0 recs

explain

what your saying...b/c that was a waste of a post

by DaNate23 on Mar 26, 2008 12:05 AM CDT up 0 recs

if you don't get it

you couldn't possibly know what's a waste of a post and what's not.

"Kyle Orton and Jack Daniel's could be the greatest songwriting duo since Rodgers and Hammerstein." - DJ Gallo

by mike b on Mar 26, 2008 9:25 AM CDT up 0 recs

I'm Dumb?

"I mean for the love of all thats above us, how many of you own a present day offensive player jersey?"

Is this not what you wrote? Before you go calling somebody out, make sure you not what the hell you're talking about.

GO BEARS!!!!!

by McRipper on Mar 26, 2008 8:30 AM CDT up 0 recs

I was saying

that for an example on how much we need offensive help and a face for the franchise. You look at all the best teams around the league, they have those franchise offensive players, but we dont have that luxury, you can throw out teams lk the Bengals where they still suck, but that has to do with egos. I didnt mean to go as far as to say your dumb, but honestly think how much better we'd be by getting a Mendenhall or McFadden in the 1st and address the 0-line in the 2nd.

by DaNate23 on Mar 26, 2008 10:42 AM CDT up 0 recs

Thanks for clearing that up

Look, I agree with you. We haven't had an offensive face since Payton retired but he was the greatest RB of all time IMO so we can't say that he was able to do it without a line. The game has changed so much. There are defensive ends that are probably just as fast as a lot of RB in the league. Mendenhall and McFadden=tremendous talent and if we would have addressed O-line in F.A. then we could have the luxury of picking RB in the 1st and OT in the 2nd.

GO BEARS!!!!!

by McRipper on Mar 26, 2008 11:33 AM CDT up 0 recs

I own a Marcus Robinson

if that counts.

by WCG on Mar 26, 2008 11:38 AM CDT up 0 recs

No Comment

LOL

GO BEARS!!!!!

by McRipper on Mar 26, 2008 11:56 AM CDT up 0 recs

first of all

Sweetness is thee best running back of all time, its not just your opinion its a fact. But I still have faith that they are relying on guard Josh Beekman and only need to get a tackle in the 1st or 2nd. But McFadden is a rare talent, and if we had the chance to get him then I'm 100% for it. I realize without a line there is no running, so I'll just wait and see what they do with their pick. Also remember JA is notorious for trading down.

by DaNate23 on Mar 26, 2008 12:16 PM CDT up 0 recs

I have a mike brown jersey

he scores alot when he is healthy

-leopoldjones

by leopoldjones on Mar 26, 2008 7:58 PM CDT up 0 recs

The Bears should draft McFadden

just based on this picture alone.

by Doctor Chicago on Mar 25, 2008 12:04 PM CDT 0 recs

hahaha

thats amazing

by DaNate23 on Mar 25, 2008 12:22 PM CDT up 0 recs

He has

a car built for the snow already.

by WCG on Mar 25, 2008 2:13 PM CDT up 0 recs

Tackle please.

Draft a freaking tackle already. For the number of time our RBs got hit in the backfield, Superman wouldn't have done much better.

-$uchM@N!

by suchman on Mar 25, 2008 2:50 PM CDT 0 recs

Makes me wonder...

Are they hiding something about Benson's injury? They are obviously exploring moving up or down and looking at the big name running backs makes me wonder if there is more that we don't know about Benson...will he make it out of training camp? Are we hiding something to try to trade him later?

by GallopingGhost on Mar 25, 2008 2:56 PM CDT 0 recs

The current rumor

is that he might not even be able to return to the condition he was last year due to a plate being put in his leg.

If that is true, the Bears have to get a RB early.

It could also just be they don't trust him anymore.

Then again they could also be letting everybody think they are taking a RB in the 1st, hoping nobody moves in front to take Oline in fear the Bears would take him.

by WCG on Mar 25, 2008 3:18 PM CDT up 0 recs

It doesn't take an orthopedic surgeon

I was saying for weeks that Benson may never even play again. It's a freaking plate in his leg. Even if the bone heals, the mental scars may never.

I'm not saying he won't, I'm say we might not.

That is why I have been screaming for the hilltops that if Mendenahll is available at #14 TAKE HIM!!!!!!

by Chad on Mar 25, 2008 4:36 PM CDT up 0 recs

i agree

people keep on whining about a tackle, and they don't understand that none of the guys (excluding clady) that will probably be on the board are francise tackles, they'll probably be just adequate tackles in the future.

if a supreme talent like mendenhall falls to us, we have to take him. no doubt about it. he's a game changer, unlike the other tackles in this draft.

it's a really good draft for tackle depth, but the only franchise tackles are probably long and clady, and i doubt either of them are going to fall to us.

I am like your Dan Aykroyd and biglow would be Jane, the ignorant slut. -Chad

by thecoolest on Mar 25, 2008 9:49 PM CDT up 0 recs

First round

either trade down for a pick and get Stewart or draft Mendenhall if he is there. Second round pray Sam Baker is there. Third round, hopefully Ainge is still on the board and second pick get a big receiver. Rest of draft look for some special team fillers. I really think Baker and Ainge are going to be great players that we could possibly get in the later rounds.

by travismullen on Mar 26, 2008 1:18 AM CDT 0 recs

both ainge and baker

are both overrated because of the teams they played for and the talent that they were surrounded with.

I am like your Dan Aykroyd and biglow would be Jane, the ignorant slut. -Chad

by thecoolest on Mar 26, 2008 4:29 PM CDT up 0 recs

Haha

have you watched college football the past couple years? Yes USC has been stacked but who has held their line together the past four years? Sam Baker. If you look at the tape, which I am sure you did before you called someone overrated, you will notice that USC did not run the ball as well and gave up more sacks when Baker was out this year. He has grown up around the game and knows how to play the game the right way. Ainge played most of this season with a broken finger and still put up good numbers. Not to mention he played in an offense that made him get rid of the ball early because their team is less athletic than most of their opponents in the SEC (the toughest conference in college football). Also if you have seen any of his interviews then you will realize this guy has his head on straight and he is ready to put the work in.

You don't have to agree with me but #1 have something better to say than people are overrated when you have nothing to back up that Baker would be a great 2nd round pick and Ainge 3rd, if they are both still there (hence others think they are even better than were I say)#2 I would love to hear what you would like to see happen that is actually realistic.

by travismullen on Mar 27, 2008 1:10 AM CDT up 0 recs

ok

here are just a couple of players that sam baker has played with on the o-line:

deuce lutui,
ryan kalil,
winston justice,
fred matua

i'm not saying that baker is bad or anything, but if had gone to some other college, we wouldn't be having this conversation. he has been surrounded by talent his whole career, that may have made him look better than he actually is. i like him, but not in the second round.

ainge is a whole other story. he has gotten a lot of attention because he played at a big name school, but he has only put up huge numbers once in his career, his last season as a vol. he was injured a lot and during his first two years, he wasn't the main man, sharing time with rick claussen and brent schaeffer.

he had a pretty good supporting cast during his career, with such names like:

arron sears
robert meachem
cedric houston

ok, so maybe he hasn't had many great players with him on offense, but he benefited from having some great defenses during his time. i don't dislike him, i think that he would be a good project to work with, but i think he would be a big reach in the third.

you want to know what i would like to see happen being realistically possible?

http://windycitygridiron.com/story/2008/3/13/212017/740

I am like your Dan Aykroyd and biglow would be Jane, the ignorant slut. -Chad

by thecoolest on Mar 27, 2008 11:51 AM CDT up 0 recs

Agree to Disagree.

Now at least I have a lot more respect for what you have to say. I agree that USC has had a great offensive line especially because I am a huge fan and played high school football with Kalil but I promise you that Sam Baker is a very, very good tackle. He is good enough and still might go in the first round. He has his pro day April 4th and maybe I will change my mine but I think he is a great 2nd round pick. As far as Ainge, I like him because he fits system. We are built around our defense and that is not going to change. Ainge is really good at checking down on early downs and getting some yards as opposed to trying to go for the home run. It sets more managable downs. That is why he hasn't put up huge numbers at Tenn. Not because he can't make the throws but because of the system.

The problem with most people analyzing talent is that they just analyze the talent. That is fine if you are just trying to discover the best athletes but that doesn't mean they will fit any system. We need to try to find people to fit our system or change our system. I just feel that they aren't changing it any time soon, so lets find players that fit the damn system.

I guess we will just have to wait and see what the Bears try to do 30 days from now because unfortunately neither of us make decisions for our team.

by travismullen on Mar 27, 2008 2:27 PM CDT up 0 recs

Denver RB's

OL is the most important recepie for a team who gets off the bus running. It seems to me that it doesent matter who Denver has in the backfield their RB's always seem to have some success in the running game and they have a pretty decent OL. Mc Fadden would be great but an OL who could impose their will on opposing Defensive lines whould be the shit, even better then having McFadden,. only my opinion.

by SuperBowlXX on Mar 26, 2008 6:02 AM CDT 0 recs