Matt Forte Over Rashard Mendenhall

by Adam T on May 27, 2008 12:55 PM CDT Comment 14 comments

The choice of the Bears made to take Chris Williams over Rashard Mendenhall has always been seen as a question of need versus talent, but if you check out this article it looks like there was more to it.

7. At least one key member of the Chicago coaching staff had rookie RB Matt Forte ranked higher than former Illinois RB Rashard Mendenhall.

A league source told Scout.com that when Matt Forte went through his paces at a private workout for Chicago and showed his football intelligence during a film session, at least one influential member of the coaching staff was set on adding him to the roster over Mendenhall.

So even though Mendenhall was available to the Bears when they made their first pick at No. 14 overall, they opted to select OT Chris Williams instead. That allowed the Steelers to snag Mendenhall at No. 23. Chicago patiently waited until the 13th pick in the second round and still got the running back it wanted.

Forte's a calm, focused young man who takes this game very seriously. He runs strong inside the tackles, has the agility to get around the end, and is a skilled receiver. And with an unstable quarterback position in Chicago, Forte's willing and skillful blocking should help the Bears complete a few more passes to their receivers and tight ends. Don't be surprised to see him win the starter's job during training camp, or by the midpoint of the season at worst.

I don't know who counts as influential on the coaching staff, but in the Bears opinion they didn't miss an opportunity, they just got the guy they liked best at a better spot in the draft.

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only hope

i just hope that it isn’t the same influential chap that drafted grossman and benson

by No It All on May 27, 2008 1:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

lmao

by SuperBowlXX on May 27, 2008 2:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Offensive Tackle was such a huge need

for every team that a record 7 OTs were drafted in the 1st round. The Bears would have been negligent to have passed on one with #14 pick. RB was less of a need and had more depth, so taking the best player(Forte) at another needed position(RB, WR, QB) made sense. I bet there weren’t many people that would have drafted Forte ahead of Mendenhall.

by gillrowdy on May 27, 2008 3:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Lets hope they got it right

I would like to think that they would know, being the professionals and all and all I have is some college games I watched last year and combine numbers.

But I like Forte. I think he will be good.

Lovie Smith-isms:
"We get off the bus running"
"Rex Grossman is our quarterback."
"...and we'll go from there."

by GallopingGhost on May 27, 2008 3:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Are you kidding me?

Come on, where’s Chad to back me up?

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

by thecoolest on May 27, 2008 3:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Seriously, though, Mendenhall can be the next great superstar RB.

And any of the tackles available to the Bears in the 2nd would have been just as good as Chris Williams.

by tyger1147 on May 27, 2008 8:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's just not the same.

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

by thecoolest on May 27, 2008 9:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

...maybe it was little known assistant, Bud Forte..

.....Matt’s uncle on his mother’s side. ;)

Steelers rule!

by robert ethan on May 27, 2008 4:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

..oops..

I guess that would be his father’s side.

by robert ethan on May 27, 2008 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not only

are you retarted. Steelers suck.

by SuperBowlXX on May 27, 2008 6:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I've noticed that Robert Ethan has seen the "reply" button.

hahahahaha

j/k

by tyger1147 on May 27, 2008 8:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

retarted?

Do you realize that as you attempt to personally attack someone for being “retarted” [sic] you cannot even spell the word correctly?

Do you also realize that everyone else has figured out how to use the reply button to individual comments?

visit the mindful mission

by big_lowitzki on May 28, 2008 1:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm Hoping

This key staff member was anyone other than Ron Turner.

Hell, I would have taken the janitor’s word before Ron Turner’s.

And the Steelers aren’t a bad franchise at all – they’d have almost as many titles as Chicago if New England didn’t cheat them out of two AFC title games.

Key word is almost though :)

Insert clever and witty remark slash pun here!

by ES46NE10 on May 27, 2008 7:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

We have Bobby DePaul

and Greg Gabriel and both are very good at what they do. I would hope that nothing any of they guys on the coaching staff said overrode the order these guys put together.

Being Who You Thought We Were Since 2005!

by Adam T on May 28, 2008 8:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs