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Are the Bears giving up on draft picks too early or...

....are they not developing them?

I know it's subjective to each player whether it's free agency, off the field problems or unproductive play but all of the sudden you're seeing some ex-Bears players around the league that are producing for other teams while the Bears seem to getting worse or just old..  Here is my list whether justified or unjustified that are producing on other teams.. maybe some of you can add to it... 

Cedric Benson-(4th pick 2005) I don't think anyone saw this coming, I hate saying it but the dude is a beast behind that big offensive line. You have to respect the way he runs with a full head of steam but he is fumble prone. He was the highest drafted Bears player since Dan Hampton in 1979. We all know his story he held out and just never got on the same page with the Bears then had his problems with injuries and the law. He was replaced by Matt Forte

“You all know the competition that goes on around here. It doesn’t matter to me. Maybe somebody else can get some criticism.”- Cedric Benson on Bears management seeking another RB.

I think at the time everyone was fed up with Benson but as a Bears fan I respected how hard he ran and I personally would have liked to have seen him with Forte before they released him. But I also wasn't that worried when they let him go. He did fumble at times but you can see how good he can be with a good run blocking offensive line. 

(2 seasons with the Bears)

Benson score for Bears 

 

 

Bernard Berrian-( 78th pick in the 3rd round of the 2004 NFL Draft) Berrian was a big part of the 2006 Chicago Bears Super Bowl team and the teams was a speed burner that had some of his biggest games in the playoffs. 2008 Berrian signed a six-year, $42 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings that included $16 million in guaranteed money.

I'd say I'm with the Bears on this one thats just way too much money for a player like Berrian. Johnny Knox has filled in well. 

(4 seasons with the Bears)

Tank Johnson -( selected with the 47th pick of the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft)On January 232007, two days after the Bears won the NFC Championship Game, Johnson was forced to appear in Circuit court to request permission to leave the State ofIllinois to travel to Miami, Florida to play in Super Bowl XLI stemming from an arrest on gun charges late in 2006.[2] The request was granted, and he played in the game, recording four tackles, assisting on another, and getting a half-sack.[3] On May 16, Johnson met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to determine punishment for his off-the-field transgressions,[4] with Goodell eventually imposing an eight-game suspension, with the possibility of a reduction to six games if Johnson followed certain requirements.

On June 25, after another run in with the law, the Chicago Bears waived Johnson, ending his three-year tenure with the team.

He was a talented imposing DL for the Bears but he couldn't stay out of trouble and his production dropped off. He was a risky pick at the time and the Bears knew it. 

(2 seasons with Bears)

 

Mark Bradley-( 2005 2nd round pick 39)Due to a season-ending injury against the Detroit Lions, Bradley was a small part of the Bears 2005 offensestarting only eight games, and recording just 18 receptions for 230 yards.

Following an injury to Bernard Berrian during week nine of the 2006 season, Bradley became a productive asset for the Bears’ offensive. While filling in for Berrian in the following weeks, Bradley caught two touchdown passes for 202 yards. He scored a 75-yard touchdown during the season's finale in a 26-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Bradley was released by the Bears on September 23, 2008 after the team signed cornerback Marcus Hamilton.

Looking back it's safe to say he was a bust and he never seemed to he healthy. 

(3 seasons with Bears)
Mark Colombo-Colombo was selected in the first round (29th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. He spent three injury-plagued seasons with the Bears before being released after the 2005 season. In 2002, as a rookie, Colombo was placed on injured reserve after suffering a dislocated patella and femoral nerve damage during a road game against the St. Louis Rams on November 18. He missed the entire 2003 season after being placed first on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list on August 13, and then on injured reserve. He also missed most of the 2004 season; he was finally activated from the Reserve/PUP list to the active roster on November 8, 2004. In 2005, he played in the Bears season opener; however, he was waived the next week, on September 13, 2005. 
signed with the Dallas Cowboys on November 1, 2005.
On December 25, 2008, Columbo finalized a contract extension worth $22 million, with $11.5 million guaranteed, through the 2012 season.
(3 seasons with Bears)
Here is a list of bears draft picks during Angelo's tenure. 
3 4 68 Jarron Gilbert DT San Jose State
3 35 99 Juaquin Iglesias WR Oklahoma
4 5 105 Henry Melton DE Texas
4 19 119 D.J. Moore CB Vanderbilt
5 3 139 Colin Brown OT Missouri
5 4 140 Johnny Knox WR Abilene Christian
5 18 154 Marcus Freeman LB Ohio State
6 17 190 Al Afalava S Oregon State
7 37 246 Lance Louis TE San Diego State
7 42 251 Derek Kinder WR Pittsburgh
2008
Round Pick Overall Name Position School
1 14 14 Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt
2 13 44 Matt Forte RB Tulane
3 7 70 Earl Bennett WR Vanderbilt
3 27 90 Marcus Harrison DT Arkansas
4 21 120 Craig Steltz S Louisiana State
5 7 142 Zack Bowman CB Nebraska
5 23 158 Kellen Davis TE Michigan State
7 1 208 Ervin Baldwin DE Michigan State
7 15 222 Chester Adams OT Georgia
7 36 243 Joey LaRocque ILB Oregon State
7 39 247 Kirk Barton OT Ohio State
7 40 248 Marcus Monk WR Arkansas
2007
Round Pick Overall Name Position School
1 31 31 Greg Olsen TE Miami
2 30 62 Dan Bazuin DE Central Michigan
3 30 93 Garrett Wolfe RB Northern Illinois
3 31 94 Michael Okwo LB Stanford
4 31 130 Josh Beekman OG Boston College
5 30 167 Kevin Payne CB Louisiana-Monroe
5 31 168 Corey Graham CB New Hampshire
7 11 221 Trumaine McBride CB Mississippi
7 31 241 Aaron Brant OT Iowa State
2006
Round Pick Overall Name Position School
2 10 42 Danieal Manning S Abilene Christian
2 25 57 Devin Hester WR Miami
3 9 73 Dusty Dvoracek DT Oklahoma
4 23 120 Jamar Williams LB Arizona State
5 27 159 Mark Anderson DE Alabama
6 26 195 J.D. Runnells FB Oklahoma
6 31 200 Tyler Reed OG Penn State
2005
Round Pick Overall Name Position School
1 4 4 Cedric Benson RB Texas
2 7 39 Mark Bradley WR Oklahoma
4 5 106 Kyle Orton QB Purdue
5 4 140 Airese Currie WR Clemson
6 7 181 Chris Harris CB Louisiana-Monroe
7 6 220 Rodriques Wilson LB South Carolina
2004
Round Pick Overall Name Position School
1 14 14 Tommie Harris DT Oklahoma
2 15 47 Terry Johnson DT Washington
3 15 78 Bernard Berrian WR Fresno State
4 14 110 Nathan Vasher CB Texas
4 16 112 Joe Leon LB Maryland
5 15 147 Claude Harriott DE Pittsburgh
5 16 148 Craig Krenzel QB Ohio State
7 14 215 Alfonso Marshall CB Miami
2003
Round Pick Overall Name Position School
1 14 14 Michael Haynes DE Penn State
1 22 22 Rex Grossman QB Florida
2 3 35 Charles Tillman CB Louisiana-Lafayette
3 4 68 Lance Briggs LB Arizona
4 3 100 Todd Johnson S Florida
4 19 116 Ian Scott DT Florida
5 4 139 Bobby Wade WR Arizona
5 8 143 Justin Gage WR Missouri
5 36 171 Tron Lafavor DT Florida
6 18 191 Joe Odom LB Purdue
6 33 206 Brock Forsey RB Boise State
7 47 261 Bryan Anderson OG Pittsburgh
2002
Round Pick Overall Name Position School
1 29 29 Mark Colombo OT Boston College
3 7 72 Roosevelt Williams CB Tuskegee
3 28 93 Terrance Metcalf OG Mississippi
4 6 104 Alex Brown DE Florida
5 5 140 Bobby Gray S Louisiana Tech
5 30 165 Bryan Knight DE Pittsburgh
6 27 199 Adrian Peterson RB Georgia Southern
6 31 203 James Elliott WR Delaware
6 38 210 Bryan Fletcher TE UCLA
2001

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No.

The players were let go, and no one at the time could argue. Was there any keep Benson or keep Tank talk at all when they were let go? None. In fact most complained the Bears kept them too long.

Benson is in great shape and is dedicated to football, something he didn’t do while in Chicago.

by wiltfongjr on Oct 26, 2009 8:52 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Bad Personel Moves

Let’s think back. Thomas Jones is the starting running-back, 1300+ yards catching the ball,bocking etc. They draft Ced Benson, he holds out, starts some bad blood. Then with Thomas Jones, dedicated and extremely productive, they trade him and without ever really competing for the job they hand the hand the job to Benson, more bad blood and desension. George Halas never gave anyone a starting job, Ditka etc. My point is coaches need to run their teams evenly. Make rookies earn their way. Disipline your players don’t give up on them. The front office, the Mccaskeys and Angelo should let the coaches run the team. If they are dissatisfied with the job that they are doing then change it. A GM is supossed to give the coaches good material to coach and that’s it.

by mbear on Oct 26, 2009 10:04 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Won't happen

with the ginormous rookie contracts nowadays. You pay someone that kind of money, you play him. That’s the way the NFL works now.

by McRipper on Oct 26, 2009 10:37 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

well said

which is why a rookie wage scale needs to be implimented

by wiltfongjr on Oct 26, 2009 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Better now?

Matt Forte and Garret Wolfe are a better tandem than Thomas Jones and Ced Benson just because they are payed less

by mbear on Oct 26, 2009 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

never gave up on any of them really.....

Benson never produced after jones left and had too much off the field issues im not hating on him now im happy his doing well but at that time he hadnt been much assistance to the team and was getting hurt often

by Bear Lovin 21 on Oct 26, 2009 2:21 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

as for the others

Berrian- they loved him but he wanted WAY too much more then chicago wanted to give him so he walked.
Colombo- always had knee problems
Bradley- mix of injuries and inconsistency
they draft good players too bad they dont stay
Justin Gage has done decent
Chris Harris should have never been traded he was a hard hitter we really miss

by Bear Lovin 21 on Oct 26, 2009 2:22 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs


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