Chocolate Milk

I think you are misunderstanding me. I'm not saying that the Bears should spend a first rounder trying to get a franchise back. I'm saying there is value at RB in this draft and the Bears currently have poor running backs. I wouldn't say that Oakland had an elite rushing attack. I also think it's pretty obvious that we are not in agreement regarding Benson's talent level. Jacobs a possible edge over Benson? Jacobs is everything Benson wishes he could be but isn't. Jamal Lewis isn't as talented as Benson? Lewis is old, but Benson will never ever be as good as Jamal Lewis is. Draft Position =/= Talent. Out of backs with more than 75 carries last year, Benson ranked 49 out of 56. I understand the position that RB's are more a product of circumstance but getting a good back can improve the running game. I don't think we're likely to agree about this. Where did Peterson rank? Also, fyi, Oakland was top 5-7 in YPC. I agree the biggest disagreement we are having is over Benson's talent level. I agree that draft position =/= talent. But I think most Bears fans conceeded that Benson was a better back than Thomas Jones after 2006. How did he go from better than TJ to one of the worst in the league talent wise? He has started for 1 season and probably barely has a full seasons worth of NFL carries in his career. It's too soon to give up on him. Drafting a RB this year, anywhere, means the Bears are giving up on Cedric, as Wolfe and Peterson are cheap and aren't going anywhere either because of versatility. I had so many arguments with you guys last year because I thought people were just dismissing jones as a mediocre back and they though benson would be a an automatic upgrade production wise. Cedric didnt lose talent, the offensive line gained age, injuries, and overall badness. I'm not really sure what point you are trying to make here. Most people, myself included, considered Jones to be a slightly above average running back running behind a good offensive line. Jones really hasn't done anything to prove me wrong. Speaking for myself, I figured since Benson ran similarly well behind the same line, there wouldn't be much, if any, drop off in production. The line got a lot worse and Benson isn't exactly the kind of back that is going to make something out of nothing. We all saw the results. Would Jones have preformed better under the same circumstances? I'm not sure but he probably couldn't have done much worse.

I think you are misunderstanding me. I'm not saying that the Bears should spend a first rounder trying to get a franchise back. I'm saying there is value at RB in this draft and the Bears currently have poor running backs. I wouldn't say that Oakland had an elite rushing attack. I also think it's pretty obvious that we are not in agreement regarding Benson's talent level. Jacobs a possible edge over Benson? Jacobs is everything Benson wishes he could be but isn't. Jamal Lewis isn't as talented as Benson? Lewis is old, but Benson will never ever be as good as Jamal Lewis is. Draft Position =/= Talent. Out of backs with more than 75 carries last year, Benson ranked 49 out of 56. I understand the position that RB's are more a product of circumstance but getting a good back can improve the running game. I don't think we're likely to agree about this. Where did Peterson rank? Also, fyi, Oakland was top 5-7 in YPC. I agree the biggest disagreement we are having is over Benson's talent level. I agree that draft position =/= talent. But I think most Bears fans conceeded that Benson was a better back than Thomas Jones after 2006. How did he go from better than TJ to one of the worst in the league talent wise? He has started for 1 season and probably barely has a full seasons worth of NFL carries in his career. It's too soon to give up on him. Drafting a RB this year, anywhere, means the Bears are giving up on Cedric, as Wolfe and Peterson are cheap and aren't going anywhere either because of versatility. Peterson ranked 51st. However, he ranked very well as a pass catching back which makes him more valuable. (Benson ranked 46th out of 58) I thought that Benson was at least as good as Thomas Jones before entering this season. This was based on the fact that his production was roughly equivilent in 2006 and I thought he would have some upside (I'll sheepishly admit here that this was mostly based on his draft position), for lack of a better word. Well, now we have an additional year of information available and I have altered my opinion on Benson accordingly. You mentioned that Benson is more talented than many successful backs in the league. How so? You're a knowledgeable fan so I'd be interested to hear your opinion. I'm frequently wrong so it's possible I've missed something. When I look at Benson, I see a guy who doesn't have great speed, isn't elusive, has average vision, has poor hands, doesn't pick up the blitz, and doesn't break a lot of tackles. He's an all around liability in the passing game. He is taken out of the game in third and long situations. I'm struggling to come up with positives honestly. He doesn't fumble much. I'm not sure that I would agree that drafting a running back anywhere would mean giving up on Benson. I tried to look up and down some rosters to see how unusual it is to roster 4RB's but it was boring and I wasn't sure which guys were on the PS, etc. Let's not forget that Benson will be coming back from a serious leg injury. Maybe I'm irrationally down on Benson but I really haven't seen anything lately to make me a fan.

that's an impressive list, but the bears need to go early with an o-lineman if they keep their first pick. The O-line should be the offseason's #1 priority, I agree.

I think you are misunderstanding me. I'm not saying that the Bears should spend a first rounder trying to get a franchise back. I'm saying there is value at RB in this draft and the Bears currently have poor running backs. I wouldn't say that Oakland had an elite rushing attack. I also think it's pretty obvious that we are not in agreement regarding Benson's talent level. Jacobs a possible edge over Benson? Jacobs is everything Benson wishes he could be but isn't. Jamal Lewis isn't as talented as Benson? Lewis is old, but Benson will never ever be as good as Jamal Lewis is. Draft Position =/= Talent. Out of backs with more than 75 carries last year, Benson ranked 49 out of 56. I understand the position that RB's are more a product of circumstance but getting a good back can improve the running game. I don't think we're likely to agree about this.

Let's take a look at some random iGuy's top 15 running backs: 1. Darren McFadden- Arkansas 2. Jonathan Stewart- Oregon 3. Felix Jones- Arkansas 4. Rashard Mendenhall- Illinois 5. Jamaal Charles- Texas 6. Ray Rice- Rutgers 7. Chris Johnson- East Carolina 8. Kevin Smith- Central Florida 9. Tashard Choice- Georgia Tech 10. Steve Slaton- West Virginia 11. Matt Forte- Tulane 12. Mike Hart- Michigan 13. Allen Patrick- Oklahoma 14. Dantrell Savage- Oklahoma State 15. Rafael Little- Kentucky Incredible depth and a lot of dudes who bring a dimension that the Bears currently don't have.

I agree and disagree here. While the line was brutal (I've banged that drum all year) I think that Benson has shown that his ceiling is pretty low. That fact combined with: Peterson being pedestrian as a fill in, Wolfe clearly being a situational scat back, and the unbeleiveable depth at RB in this draft, I can easily see the Bears taking a RB in the 3rd. The Benson/Peterson combo is no worse than the Jones/Benson combo that took the Bears to the Superbowl in terms of production or upside. Jesus, I've written this post three times and lost it due to internet issues. I have to disagree. The Bears ranked 32nd in the NFL last year in rushing efficiency (according to DVOA). The line was terrible, I'll concede, but the backs were also very poor by any measure. I'm no Jones fan, but I don't see how you can say that Jones and Peterson are interchangeable. Jones is at least a step better than Peterson and I don't see any upside to mention with Benson/Peterson. What dynamic do they bring? In any event, the Bears lost that Superbowl. That combo may have been good enough to get there but I don't think we should be using them as the standard for how good that position needs to be in the future. Just because of the depth at RB in this draft and the absolute futility of the running game last year, I see the Bears taking a hard look at the available running backs with one of their third round picks. I understand that there are a lot of holes to fill so not everyone is going to agree with me. That's just the way I see things at the moment. If the Bears have any chance at having a reasonably good, er non-doormat, offense next year, they need to have a dominant running game. I think, at least I hope, the Bears brass understands this.

I agree and disagree here. While the line was brutal (I've banged that drum all year) I think that Benson has shown that his ceiling is pretty low. That fact combined with: Peterson being pedestrian as a fill in, Wolfe clearly being a situational scat back, and the unbeleiveable depth at RB in this draft, I can easily see the Bears taking a RB in the 3rd.

Agreed.

I'm really pleased with our* draft position. There will be quite a few impact players available there that will fit obvious holes. It addition, it is easier to trade down from 14 then to trade down from, let's say, a top 7 pick. * DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT PLAY FOR THE BEARS.

I know it won't happen, but it would be GREAT if it would. Call me crazy but I wouldn't mind seeing a batter with a .480 OBP and 1.045 OPS added into the lineup.

It implies exactly what I said it implies. And its a poor way to attempt to gain high ground in a discussion. If you have a problem with what I write (or me personally, which seems to be pretty obvious), so much so that you have to attack me personally with condescending remarks, don't read what I write. Or just get over it and move on. Who attacked you personally? He attacked what you wrote. To inform you, this isn't the first time someone has gone on the "we" rant around here. It's annoying and haltz was right on the money. My advice to you is to grow thicker skin.

They are Meph's projections of the projections. in other words, they are nothing Ok. you care what Meph thinks someone else will think will happen this year? i love how you post in all of these threads that you don't care about. it makes me laugh. It makes me laugh that Derwood, of all people, is trying to be the arbiter of what is post worthy.

Yeah well, we weren't looking to build a rocketship with it. This is a board to discuss baseball.

They are Meph's projections of the projections. in other words, they are nothing Ok. you care what Meph thinks someone else will think will happen this year? Meph knows things. I think his opinions on this kind of stuff is interesting.

They are Meph's projections of the projections. in other words, they are nothing Ok.

They are Meph's projections of the projections.

I agree that it was a foul. That's no gaurentee of a win though. Good game by Purdue. Badgers certianly had their chances.

He was basically 2006 Grossman for the regular season. Remarkably similar, actually. He has played very well in the playoffs however. Much like the Bears of '06, they are a completely different team when getting competant quarterback play. If it holds up, they have a punchers chance against the Patriots. I would still think that Pats would need to turn it over a couple of times though.

This is all kinds of dumb. Why would he defend this? I was hoping that that original comlumn was just for fun.

Roast>Are you going to pick new favorite teams?

Also someone please get Tom Coughlin to the hospital. Is he aware of something called frostbite? Jesus.

Farve looked really effected by the cold. He had that same, "I'm looking for a hole to crawl into." look on his face that he had against the Bears a few weeks ago. I thought the Pack were going to steal that one. The Giants outplayed them but just couldn't get out of their own way.

Eh, I can't force myself to get too fired up about this. He'll change it about 75 times over the course of the season. Other than Theriot, I can't really complain. As much as people want Soriano moved down in the order, it isn't going to happen.

This is an epidemic around here.

I think it's interesting that a few year ago, everyone loved them. Announced in the Super Bowl as a team, embodiment of teamwork, etc etc. Now that the upstart has become the establishment, if you will, everyone hates and resents them. It's largely the same team. It's kind of an interesting thing. That's all I was saying here. I wasn't really intending the call anyone out or anything.