MVN - Most Valuable Network

Willams and Forte, Welcome to the Bears

The Chicago Bears selected Chris Williams, offensive tackle from Vanderbilt (6′6″, 315lbs).  Bears, thank you for finally drafting according to your need.  The offensive line was the most pressing issue, and you really came through on this one.  Pleasantly suprised that we picked up a guy who has only given up 2 sacks in his last 1,558 snaps.  He should be a very nice addition to the offense that may not see immediate playing time, but will definitely recieve his reps and hopefully earn some starts towards the end of the season.

With the second round pick, the Bears took Matt Forte, RB out of Tulane (6′2″, 222 lbs).  This pick i find somewhat questionable.  I can’t beleive that Forte wouldn’t have still been there in the 3rd round, while we passed over Chad Henne and other good quarterbacks without a second thought.  The QB situation is of course in dire need now, and passing over quality quarterbacks like we did i find ridiculous.  Forte is a good back, compiling 4,145 yards and 38 touchdowns over the course of his college career.  I am happy he is on the team, but I’m left wondering if there is some other direction we could have taken that would gotten me a little bit more excited.

 Looking forward to tomorrow…Go Bears!

Quaterback,Runningback or Offensive Line? Which Way Will We Go?

With the NFL draft only days away, the decision as to the most pressing need of the Bears is still a hot issue. The offense is clearly the area that needs the most improvement, but in what facet the Bears feel is the most important is unclear. The offensive line is aging, Cedric Benson is clearly not the runningback of the future as previously thought, and (surprise surprise) we have no proven quaterback. So, what can we do?

Regardless of which direction the Bears choose, they have to go with someone who is going to be an immediate impact player. Here are my top picks by position for what the Bears could possibly acquire with the 14th pick.

Offensive Line: Jeff Otah (Pittsburgh): The Nigerian Born Otah is not the most experienced player in the draft, but Otah has absolutely monster size (6′6″, 322 lbs). It would be nice to acquire a tackle that is just as big as John Tait, but is more than 10 years younger. Otah would need to become a little more polished, but the potential that this absolutely massive athlete has is worth considering in the draft.

Runningback: Rashard Mendenhall (Illinois): I am not going to pretend like I don’t have a little bit of a bias towards Mendenhall. I’m an Illinois man myself, so there I am clearly playing some favorites. One thing that is not debatable is the talent that Mendenhall possesses. What I believe to be the one of the greatest players in this year’s draft, it is possible Mendenhall could fall as far as 14. Mendenhall is a power back, but at the same time has the ability to explode out of the hole and run for a 75-yard TD. If he is available at 14, it would be ludicrous for the Bears not to take him.

Quarterback:Brian Brohm (Louisville) : Matt Ryan simply will not be available, so Brohm is probably the next most talented quarterback in the Draft. Brohm’s size make him a good candidate for the bears (6′4″, 224 lbs), and he seems to be very mentally tough. His 71 career touchdowns to 24 interceptions at Louisville are also impressive. There are questions as to his arm strength and leadership ability, but no more so than any other quarterback we have on the roster. Brohm could still be around in the second round, but if the Bears are thinking quarterback, they might as well do it early.

Overall, the preference I would have would be in the order listed above, OL, RB, and QB. The O-line has to be addressed at some point, and its probably better to do it sooner rather than later. You could have a phenomenal backfield and a great quarterback, but it all starts with protection. I’m more than willing to hear alternative theories as to how the Bears will pick, in fact I encourage it. Looking forward to draft day…GO BEARS!

McGowan Signs 1-Year Deal, Bears Pick Up 3 Picks in Seventh

Safety Brandon McGowan has become a Bear for at least one more year.  In his third NFL season, the former undrafted free agent recorded a career high 80 tackles and 2 interceptions in 14 games last season.  A healthy McGowan is a good thing to have, as a constantly injury-prone Mike Brown is a toss up for any given season, and the always hard hitting but never well covering Adam Archuleta can’t always be trusted to be at the right place at the right time.

Also, the Bears picked up three compensatory draft picks in the seventh round of this years draft.  The Bears now have the 243rd, 247th, and 248th draft picks in the seventh round, bringing the grand total of picks to 11.  The Bears became eligable to receive these picks by losing more compensatory free agents than they acquired.

One might ask themselves, what is three picks in the seventh round going to do for our squad?  We are in need of depth at many positions, and using common sense, would you rather have one chance of finding a diamond in the rough or four?  As always, GO BEARS! 

Trades, Acquisitions, and Hopes for the Future

First, let me start off by saying that I apoligize for my long absence away from the Midway. I truly should have been keeping up with my posts more rigorously than I have been, and am very sorry.

As for the off-season, the Bears have been making some moves here and there, both good and bad. I’ve listed some of the losses and gains that look to change the face of this Bears team in ‘O8.

Losses

Bernard Berrian: Umm…seriously Bears? Did we just give away the 27 year-old Berrian…to the VIKINGS! Are we trying to sabotage ourselves by giving one of our most talented receivers to a division opponent? Granted Berrian might not be the best fit in Minnesota right now with a young quarterback at the helm, but the future could show huge development between Jackson and Berrian.

Brian Griese: This one…I’m ok with. We traded Griese to the Bucs for an undisclosed pick in the ’09 draft. Griese was shaky at best, compiling at 3-3 record and a 75.6 passer rating. My hopes for the future (surprisingly) rest in the hands of Kyle Orton or Rex Grossman (CAN YOU BELIEVE WE RESIGNED HIM!) until a worthy draft pick can take the reins.

Brandon Ayanbadejo: A very good coverage man on special teams, the two-time Pro Bowler signed a 4-year deal with the Ravens. Ayanbadejo can be replaced, but losing a key player on one of the best special teams in the league does sting a little.

Mushin Muhammad: The aging wide-receiver had been a great mentor to our younger players, but just was not producing like he used to. Muhammad has since signed a 2-year deal with Carolina. A classy player, Moose will be missed.

Acquisitions/Re-signs

Lance Briggs: You would not have expected the 3-time Pro Bowler to even think about touching a Bears uniform after the controversy last season. It fully seemed like Briggs wanted out. However, a 6 year contract through 2013 gives the Bears’ Defense some stability. Briggs was one of the hottest players in the free agent market, and I’m glad to see him staying in Chicago.

Marty Booker: The former Bear is back once again. The timing of that return however is questionable. Last season Booker averaged only 11.1 yards per catch, his lowest since 2001. However the 31 year old Booker does bring the veteran experience that was lost with Muhammad. Also, I’m not going to read too deeply into Booker’s numbers these past four years…he was on the Dolphins after all.

Brandon Lloyd: Lloyd has caught 130 passes for 1,889 yards and 13 touchdowns in his 5 year NFL career. The Bears signed him to a one-year deal today. Lloyd doesn’t exactly have overpowering numbers. However, considering the fact that Devin Hester, Rashied Davis, and Mark Bradley have only combined for 8 receiving touchdowns in their entire careers, I think taking a shot on Lloyd to fill a number 2 or 3 spot in the receiving core is not unwarranted.

I will do my best to stay on top of any other acquisitions that come around. Looking forward to draft day…GO BEARS!