Iron Mike returns to the windy city!

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February 14th 2008 will be a day never forgotten by the fans of the Chicago Bears. On that day it was made official they have re-hired former Head Coach Mike Ditka, the man whom they had fired 16 years ago.

Ditka, now 68 years old, was most recently the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. In 1999, following a 3-13 record, the Saints fired him. By all accounts, it was a mutual decision, as Ditka had shown signs of burn out earlier in the season, and had admitted he didn't have the fire any more to coach. Health scares and personal troubles seemed to soften the metal (and mettle) of "Iron Mike"; and it seemed doubtful he would ever coach again.

Ditka headed to the studio, where he built a solid career as a game day analyst; and gave no indication he wanted to coach again. Those close to him, however, saw a different side of Mike as he watched the Bears lose the Super Bowl to the Indianapolis Colts. His wife remarked, "It was as if he felt he somehow let the Bears down by not being there." It was after that game he told his wife he "had to" get back on the sidelines. He didn't want his career defined by the failures in New Orleans.

Even so, Ditka spent the 2007 season in the booth re-assesing, as he termed it. Going back to the demanding lifestyle of coaching and the rigors of the season was no small task for a man nearing 70 years old. However, freed from many of his demons; and with his wife beside it, the man known as Iron Mike reached out to the only place he truly called home: the Chicago Bears.

One year and 10 days ago, the Chicago Bears lost the only Super Bowl they had been in since Mike's team won back in the 80's. Their Head Coach, Lovie Smith, had built a solid team; but they were outclassed by Peyton Manning and the Colts. The Colts Head Coach, Tony Dungy, had come up through the ranks and was Lovie's boss in their previous stop in Tampa Bay.

In the days after the loss, the Bears tasked Lovie with fixing the deficiencies that cost them a second Lombardi trophy. Unfortunately, Lovie Smith and the Bears finished 7-9, and out of the playoffs for the first time since 2004. In addition, the Bears roster struggled with legal troubles, disgruntled players, and a general feeling the team that was in the Super Bowl only one year ago was being dismantled. The 2007 Bears played without 10 players who were on that Super Bowl team. There were still too many holes, too many questions. The magic that seemed to carry the team to the promised land appeared gone. The Bears were left with no choice but to fire him. Within hours after the news broke, Ditka was on the phone expressing his desire to return to Chicago.

Vernon Van Alstyne, who had married into the family and now ran the Bears, realized the Bears and their fanbase needed a jolt like this to keep the morale up and get the team and the city back on board; and with ten times the enthusiasm they had just a year ago when they were playing in the Super Bowl itself.

Van Alstyne would retain Andrews as GM, and encouraged Ditka to keep the rest of the staff in place. He reasoned it would be easier to get accustomed to his players and the current state of the NFL with the staff that had almost to a man coached in the Super Bowl. At season's end, Ditka would have a better handle on things and will be encouraged to make any staff personnel moves he felt he needed to do.

Heading into 2008, the Chicago Bears are on the edge. A team that so recently played in the Super Bowl generally doesn't need to be rebuilt, however there has been some serious turnover with key position players through trades and free agency. In addition, some of the main weaknesses have not been addressed, namely the quarterback. Lastly, the NFC North is a strong division, the Bears and the Lions both had 7-9 records and were in last place. The Packers won the division with 13 victories.

When hired by the Bears in 1982, Mike Ditka told his players that in 3 years, they'd be in the dance. Will he be able to get this team back to the dance in 3 years as well?

Time will tell, but no matter what happens, the world will be keeping its eyes on

DA BEARS!

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The nuts and bolts of it:

Mike Ditka, age 68
Headliner

Chem - 5
Playcall - 2
Strategy - 2
Performance -3
TE Physical - 2
TE Intangible - 3
TE Play learning - 2
Special Skill: Charm

Bears Power Run (128 plays, weak)
Rex Ryan's Plays (100 plays, average)
I am going to drop 10 plays from each when I start the season, maybe 15 from the offense, since as a new head coach, I'd prob try to simplify things a bit and then start adding in my own plays.

A few things:

My regular season scouting philosophy is locked (small school focus) by my GM.

I set it to "wants 3 million" in cap space as opposed to the default 1 million to make it a little tougher right now.

Since we're changing from a cover 2 to a Buddy Ryan style attacking defense, we are changing to blitz heavy/man coverage (the opposite of what it was before.) The DC was the DC in '06, and he's probably not going to make it to next season since he's a cover 2 devotee and these Bears won't be running it.
Defensive playbook control is being changed to HC, though once I replace him, I will revert control to the DC. Right now, the OC will keep control of the offensive playbook. The current OC has been there since '05, though I'm not sure he'll make it past this year either. I'll do a staff breakdown later.

As for me, I am serious and true to life when I run a franchise, as you will see. I'm also a little nuts, as I track the career stats of the players in the game, and I'll do updates as players hit career milestones so we can all enjoy some additional immersion. For example, Terrell Owens is currently in 10th place in all-time receiving yards. He is 19 yards away from 9th place, Steve Largent. When/if he passes him, I might do a little notification (shout out) to T.O. for moving into 9th place all-time. It's interesting (and fun for me) to see where certain players end up when it's all said and done.

I do NOT build up a million picks, I do NOT take all the sleepers. You'll see the logic behind the players I pick backed up by info from them in college; and some picks will just not make sense/work out. It is way more fun to play real than to cheat the game and min/max everything so I'm winning by 70 points a game and winning 8 straight Super Bowls or something equally stupid, in my opinion.

Any questions, feel free - and in the meantime - I'm dying to get started!

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February 18th

A decision has been made regarding the Bears and the franchise tag:

The Chicago Bears will be using the franchise tag on wide receiver Bernard Berrian. (valued at $8.08 million dollars.) Though this will an expensive move initially, the Bears have already told Bernard he is free to seek a trade, as they will not be able to afford to re-sign him for the salary Bernard feels he is due. Bernard was a starting receiver for the Bears Super Bowl team, and his loss will definitely be felt; however, Coach Ditka knows this is a business and hopefully the player or pick they get in return will bring back an even greater return.

This means that star linebacker Lance Briggs will not be retained by the team.
Briggs was franchised in 2007, and went nuts. Despite the return of Ditka, Lance is adamant there is no place for him in Chicago and will be allowed to leave. Losing a star linebacker off a team that prides itself on defense is tough, but after he was tagged last year and the previous regime couldn't sign him, the team will allow him to find a new home.

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RFA Decision made:

The Bears have tendered WR Rashied Davis at $970k. If matched, the Bears will receive a 7th round pick. Davis, 28, had a down year in '07, notching just 17 catches for 165 yards. He is extremely quick and versatile, able to return kicks and punts as well as act as a deep-threat weapon. Time will tell if another team puts in a claim for him, or if he'll return to the Bears and use 2008 as a chance to take that next step forward.

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MONEY MONEY MONEY

The Bears started the offseason with $24.04 million dollars in cap space. Now, on the eve of Free Agency, the Bears are down to $14,990,000. There will have to be some tough decisions made at every position. Each player is going to have to be examined and have his accomplishments and potential weighed against his value today AND in the future.

For example, the quarterback situation:

Rex Grossman: Rex was the quarterback for the Bears in the Super Bowl. More of a gunslinger than a polished passer, Rex's style of play has led to numerous injuries. There is no denying he can get a team to the Super Bowl, but last year he only started 7 games and only threw 4 touchdowns vs 9 interceptions.

Kyle Orton: Kyle had a surprisingly successful rookie year in '05, going 10-5. He then took a back seat to Rex and several other quarterbacks and was largely forgotten. He started the last 3 games of '07 and won the last 2. He has earned the chance to compete for the starting job, and if he doesn't win it, he'll prob want out of Chicago by season's end.

There is no denying Quarterback is THE key position on a football team. You can win without a truly great QB, but he has to be able to at least not LOSE the game.

That being said, there are several other options to be considered:

In free agency, there are some major names to watch: Daunte Culpepper, Joey Harrington, and Byron Leftwich are all veteran quarterbacks with some success. In addition, there are a couple of older vets with Super Bowl experience who could "mind the store" while a rookie gets up to speed: Kerry Collins, Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson are all possible mentors. Third, there are some established quarterbacks who might welcome a change in scenery, such as Jake Delhomme (who played for Ditka when he was coaching the Saints), David Garrard, (whom the Jaguars are balking at giving a new contract to), Chad Pennington (who is very accurate - the opposite of Rex, but even more injury-prone.), and Trent Green.

Also, keep in mind these quarterbacks who were all drafted in the first round, and are eager to get one last chance to prove they weren't busts, namely Kyle Boller, JP Losman, Patrick Ramsey and David Carr.

Then there are these special cases:

Derek Anderson/Brady Quinn. Derek led the Browns to the cusp of the playoffs with a 10-6 record, however the Browns spent a first round pick on Brady Quinn. Much like the Chargers with Brees and Rivers, there is going to have to be a decision made in Cleveland.

Matt Leinart. Matt was supposed to be the man for the Cardinals, but he can't seem to grab the reigns of the starting job. There is no denying the talent, but some have questioned his commitment. The Cardinals could be looking at moving on from Matt and finding a new quarterback to learn under Kurt Warner.

Philip Rivers. The Chargers wanted Eli, but settled for Rivers. Now, despite great success and good win/loss records, the Chargers still can't get over the hump, meanwhile Eli just got his first ring. Rivers saw his INTs go up last year and his rating went down. Not what you want out of your top QB, esp one who's best year saw him throw only 22 touchdowns. Maybe they'll use him as their scapegoat for recent playoff failures, and try again to get "their guy."

Lastly, don't forget that there are a couple quarterbacks in the draft that have been mentioned as first round picks such as Joe Flacco from Delaware, and Matt Ryan from Boston College. There might a hidden gem later on as well.
Maybe the exciting quarterback from Oregon, Dennis Dixon? Maybe a guy with a big school pedigree like John David Booty?

Or, maybe the answer is still on the roster... It's hard to look past Orton's 10 wins as a rookie... Maybe all he needs is a fair chance to compete for the job.

That's just the quarterback position! Each position is going to be equally analyzed to give the Bears the best chance to compete now; but also be ready to continue being successful for years to come...

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REUNITED?

The first day of free agency did not disappoint! The Chicago Bears have traded tight end Desmond Clark to the Miami Dolphins for running back Ricky Williams. Clark, 30, had been the starting tight end for the Bears the last few years, never missing a game, however, with rising star Greg Olsen emerging, Desmond could see the writing on the wall and was looking for a chance to remain a starter. Williams, 30, is the Dolphins 2nd string running back. He was picked by Mike Ditka when Ditka was coaching the Saints. A pick that shocked the world, as New Orleads had to trade away the rest of their draft picks in order to move up to select Williams.
Injuries and Ditka's firing forced them to go their separate ways, but could this reunion be a chance at settling some unfinished business? In Chicago, Williams will have to compete with 4th overall pick Cedric Benson for a share of
the workload. Benson disappointed in his first full year as a starter in '07, following the trade of Thomas Jones. An arrest didn't help his cause, and clashes with the coaching staff over his usage, coupled with an injury further derailed what should have been his coming out party. The trade for Williams will either light a fire under Benson, or the Bears will have to admit failure on their former first-round pick.

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breaking-news (1).jpg

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2007

A statement from Coach Ditka about the released players:

"Mike was a big part of helping make this defense great again. Unfortunately, he's dealt with some pretty major medical issues the last 2 years and we weren't able to strike a deal on a reduced salary that was fair for both sides. He'll always be a Bear, and we wish him well in his next stop." When asked about Maynard, Ditka replied that Brad was a "good punter", but reminded the media (and fans) that he told them there were going to be some moves that were strictly cap-related; and that there would be more in the days to come. "We have to have some more cap space in order to target free agents, sign our draft picks, as well as pay the guys we have in the locker room already. It's not going to be easy, it's going to hurt; but I hope everyone realizes we have to do what we have to do. It's not easy to accept, but sometimes when you really care about your team and your teammates, you understand that sometimes the best thing you can do is move on."

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breaking-news (2).jpg

A hard day in Chicago as former captain and starting center Olin Kreutz has been traded to the New York Giants for a 2nd and 6th round pick in the 2008 draft.

"Today is one of those days where I hate being the boss." Coach Ditka said. "Olin was a rock, a foundation, a champion of the Bears and I know everyone is going to miss him. I talked with Olin at length about this decision, and we made sure we sent him to a winner. Hopefully he'll find the success that eluded him here now that he's part of the Super Bowl champs."

In a corresponding move, the Bears traded their 4th round pick in 2009 to the Browns in exchange for center Chris Myers, 25.

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Free Agency Recap

The Chicago Bears have released the following players:

DE Israel Idonije - 1 sack in three seasons, with none in the last 2.
DT Anthony Adams - signed to fill the void by Tank Johnson's suspension, he graded out poorly against both the run and the pass.
OLB Darrell McClover - strictly a special teams player, he had no shot at contributing on defense.
RB Adrian Peterson - a general utility running back, he was already 4th on the depth chart behind Benson, Williams and Wolfe.
OG Terrance Metcalf - strictly a salary cap move.

The Bears also were involved in a few trades:

2009 5th round pick to the Jaguars for WR Troy Williamson. Williamson, a former 7th overall pick, wore out his welcome in Minnesota and was traded to the Jags just a few days ago. The Vikes got a pick in this year's draft, and the Jags get a slightly better pick in next year's draft. The Bears get a potential deep threat to replace Bernard Berrian.

2008 5th round pick to the Eagles for LT Winston Justice. Only 22 years old, Winston has a chance to develop in the rough and tumble trenches of the NFC North. Chosen in the 2nd round, Winston was plugged into the Eagles starting lineup as a rookie was abused by several teams. Winston had a 1st round pedigree, so the chance to get him for a 5th round pick is worth the risk.

2008 7th round pick and 2009 3rd round pick to the Cowboys for OL Pat McQuistan. Pat, 24, is a tall, young, powerful OL with a chance to help bolster the OL of the Bears.

2008 6th round pick and DE Alex Brown to the Oakland Raiders for OL Paul McQuistan. Pat's twin brother, the McQuistans will anchor the right side of the Bears line for (hopefully) the next decade. Alex Brown, a former starter, was due to fall back into the rotation with the emergence of DE Mark Anderson, and instead he'll add some teeth to the Raiders pash rush.

So far, the Bears have signed 4 OL who are 25 or younger, and 3 are projected to start.

In addition, the Bears signed Rosevelt Colvin, OLB, to a 2 year deal. Colvin was drafted by the Bears, and played for them from 1999-2002. Last season Colvin played for the Patriots, and it's hopeful he'll be more than a capable replacement for Lance Briggs. (It has been confirmed Briggs signed with the New Orleans Saints.)

The Bears also signed SS Sammy Knight to compete with Adam Archuleta. Knight was signed as an UDFA by Coach Ditka when he was coaching the Saints, and said he owed it to the man who gave him a chance in the NFL to come here in whatever capacity and help him get back on top.

__***__

Lastly, the Chicago Bears made the biggest deal of the free agency period by trading their 2nd round picks in 2008 and 2009 to the San Diego Chargers for QB Philip Rivers!!!!

Here is part of the press conference where Coach Ditka announced the deal:

"Look, the simple truth of it is the San Diego Chargers didn't want Philip Rivers. They never wanted him. They wanted Manning's little brother. Philip is an outstanding quarterback. He gets his team 14 wins and how do they reward him? They fire his coach. He gets them another 11 wins... back to back playoff appearances and his new coach makes it seem like's just a polished turd. They think they can win without him? Well, I'm more than happy to take him off their hands. Hopefully one day soon I'll get a chance to show them how stupid they are."

As we head into the NFL draft, here's the quick crunch of the FA season:

2 additions/12 losses
Current roster is 41 players
Cap room is $15.7 million
Restricted FA gained/lost: 0/0 (this means WR Rashied Davis will be back with the team.)

What does this mean for QB's Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton? I'd say it means they'll both be looking for new homes this season.

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2008 NFL DRAFT FIRST ROUND RESULTS

2008 NFL Draft - Round 1 Recap
Pick	Team	Player	Pos	Ht	Wt
1	Dolphins	Jake Long	OT
2	Rams	Vernon Gholston	OLB
3	Falcons	Matt Ryan	QB
4	Raiders	Glen Dorsey	DT
5	Chiefs	Chris Long	DE
6	Jets	Keith Rivers	OLB
7	Patriots	Leodis McKelvin	DB
8	Ravens	Sedrick Ellis	DT
9	Bengals	Jerod Mayo	OLB
10	Eagles	Derrick Harvey	DE
11	Eagles	Ryan Clady	OT
12	Broncos	Chris Williams	OT
13	Panthers	Duane Brown	OT
14	Chicago	Dominique Cromartie	DB
15	Patriots	Darren McFadden	RB
16	Cardinals	Sam Baker	OT
17	Chiefs	Jeff Otah	OT
18	Texans	Rashard Mendenhall	RB
19	Saints	Mike Jenkins	DB
20	Buccaneers	Dustin Keller	TE
21	Redskins	Brandon Albert	OG
22	Cowboys	Kentwan Balmer	DT
23	Steelers	Gosder Cherilus	OT
24	Titans	Antione Cason	DB
25	Seahawks	Felix Jones	RB
26	Jaguars	Aqib Talib	DB
27	Chargers	Joe Flacco	QB
28	Ravens	Lawrence Jackson	DE
29	49ers	Phillip Merling	DE
30	Packers	Chris Johnson	RB
31	Rams	Tracy Porter	DB
32	Dolphins	Kenny Phillips	DB

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First round reactions:

Dolphins: Jake Long: No argument here. The offensive line is the key to any team's success; and taking the best player - a guy who can be a 15 year starter - is a no brainer.

Rams: Vernon Gholston. I'm not sure how wise it is spending the 2nd overall pick on a guy you want to convert to a position he's never played before. Going from DE to LB isn't easy, especially if you've never even tried it before in college. Off the line, Gholston is a dynamic pass rusher...dropping back into coverage? Not sure he can do it.

Falcons: Matt Ryan. The loss of Michael Vick shattered the Falcons season. They tried to recover, but quarterbacks like Leftwich and Harrington couldn't do much to keep the Falcons winning. Now they're both gone, the coach is gone; and they are turning to Matt Ryan to be the face, and the future, of this franchise.

Raiders: Glen Dorsey. A strong D-line can help set a tone, and help hide weaknesses elsewhere. On paper, a front four of Burgess, Dorsey, Kelly and Richardson looks pretty solid.

Chiefs: Chris Long. It must have broke Howie's heart when his son was drafted by the Raiders hated rival. The Chiefs, however, get a hell of a player - though he's undersized if they want him to stay at DE in their base 3-4.

Jets: Keith Rivers. This was a home run for the Jets. Rivers will be a terror on the outside for the Jets attacking linebacker corps.

Patriots: Leodis McKelvin. Leodis is a great cover corner, and can return kicks when needed. Maybe getting burned by Tyree, and then the touchdown by Burress has them thinking they need even more help in the secondary.

Ravens: Sedrick Ellis. This was an interesting pick, as they don't need a tackle since the have Ngata there, however, Ellis has the ability to play end in the 3-4, and it's possible they'll make that move. If they do, it could be a tremendous addition to one of the best defenses.

Bengals: Jerod Mayo. The Bengals brought back Takeo Spikes, and his primary job will be to mentor Mayo and mold him into an elite NFL player. The tools are there.

Eagles: Derrick Harvey. Many considered this a shock seeing the Eagles trade up for a DE that excels against the pass but has never shown much against the run. The Eagles must have been watching the Giants use a heavy line rotation as the weapon to bring down the Patriots and must realize Harvey could be a key piece in their own rotation.

Eagles: Ryan Clady. People were even more shocked to see them trade back up AGAIN and take Clady. The Eagles gave up on LT Winston Justice, shipping him to the Bears, and drafted Clady to replace him. Most experts believe that Clady has a mean streak that is suited to the tackle position, something that seemed to be lacking in Justice.

Broncos: Chris Williams. Williams, along with Long and Clady, was one of the top tackles available. It's smart for the Broncos to strengthen that offensive line.

Panthers: Duane Brown. Another tackle off the board, and another solid pick. Brown should be able to add protection to the Panthers pass game, plus he's a mauler in the run game.

Bears: Dominique Cromartie. Nathan Vasher and Cedric Tillman are the starters, and have mega-contracts to show for it; but injuries plagued Vasher last year, and he missed 10 games. At the very least, they have a lightning quick playmaker at nickel. At the most, they have a guy who can step right in and start if someone goes down. The Bears know it's a passing league, and you need strong depth to keep pace.

Patriots: Darren McFadden. This might be an example of simply taking the best player available. Lawrence Maroney was the 21st overall pick of the Patriots 2 years ago, so taking another back in the first round seems crazy. The Patriots, however, are coming off a 16 win season, so they must know what they're doing. The tandem of Maroney and McFadden might be too much for opposing defenses.

Cardinals: Sam Baker. This was a bit of a reach, as most people had Baker as a 2nd round talent. The run on left tackles, however, left Baker as the only one left viewed as a probable week one started. The Cardinals need to make sure that Warner stays upright and healthy, so grabbing the last truly solid player left to protect his blindside was really the only pick they could make.

Chiefs: Jeff Otah. With their 2nd pick in the first round, the Chiefs added a guy to the other line this time. Otah looks like he'll be the starting right tackle, and he's a monster run blockers - which has to have Larry Johnson foaming at the mouth to hit the field.

Texans: Rashard Mendenhall. The Texans had some struggles with the run game last year, and they signed Ahman Green to help with that. Green, however, is 30 years old and they really raved about his 3rd down ability. Mendenhall should take the wear and tear of the tough grinder yards and form a solid one-two punch with Green.

Saints: Mike Jenkins. Jenkins is like a strong safety playing cornerback. Fast and strong, he excels and man coverage and punishing receivers. Labelled as a head case, however, a draft day slide was expected, though no one believed he'd fall out of the first round.

Buccaneers: Dustin Keller. The Buccs have been quietly assembling some solid skill position players for Coach Gruden, and by adding Keller, a fast, playmaking tight end, they now have a dangerous pass catching end in the mold of Jeremy Shockey and Greg Olsen.

Redskins: Brandon Albert. Clinton Portis is the focus of the Redskins offense, and solidifying the interior of the offensive line is only going to help him be even more successful. Albert also got top marks in pass protection as well.

Cowboys: Kentwan Balmer. Balmer is tall, lean tackle who knows how to work his way through a line, and get his hand up when the quarterback is looking to throw. This may go down as one of the best picks the Cowboys have made in recent years.

Steerlers: Gosder Cherilus. The Steelers are known for running the ball behind a punishing offensive line. Cherilus is a monster run blocker, through they better be prepared to eat a few penalties, as he has a mean streak a mile long.

Titans: Antoine Cason. The Titans went with a solid corner with Cason. Quicker than he is fast, Cason is a smart ball player and can trick a quarterback into throwing his way, believing the receiver is open when he's not. Cason has good hands too, and will pick off more pass than he'll drop.

Seahawks: Felix Jones. McFadden's running mate at Arkansas, Felix is built a lot like Fred Jackson, and if he has even half the career Jackson has had, the Seahawks will be winning a lot of games. Much faster than Shaun Alexander, his predecessor, though not as physical, Felix opens up a few new options for the Seahawks offense.

Jaguars: Aqib Talib. Aqib is a physical corner in the mold of Mel Blount. He plays like a linebacker, but has good cover skills. Not a burner, he still has the speed to keep up with most receivers out there. How he matches up with the elite like Terrell Owens or Randy Moss has yet to be seen.

Chargers: Joe Flacco. Flacco is a big, physical, cannon-armed quarterback from FCS Delaware. The former Blue Hen has the physical tools to separate himself from any other QB in the draft. The question will be how fast he can get up to speed coming from an FCS school. Replacing Philip Rivers won't be easy - and if they whiff on Flacco after ditching Brees, losing out on Manning, and giving up on Rivers - the Chargers faithful could be looking at several years of futility. Having the top running back and tight end in the league will definitely help, however.

Ravens: Lawrence Jackson. The Ravens don't keep their desire to have the league's top defense a secret; and spending 2 first round picks on the defensive line is a bold statement indeed. Jackson figures to be primarily used in passing situations, possibly alternating with Ellis.

49ers: Phillip Merling. The 49ers had several options here, and chose Merling, who is well regarded as a strong run defender. The hope here is that he can add some muscle to the short yardage defense.

Packers: Chris Johnson. The man who set the 40 record at the combine is headed to frozen tundra to hopefully add a home-run threat to the Packers offense. In this, the first year without Favre, the entire offense is hoping Johnson can quickly establish himself as a key piece of the puzzle.

Rams: Tracy Porter. The Rams need help everywhere, and grabbing a corner who understands zones and reads will hopefully help take the pressure off this struggling team.

Dolphins: Kenny Phillips. Phillips is unquestionably the top safety in the draft and a playmaker in the mold of Ed Reed, only bigger and stronger. If he develops as expected, he could end up in the Hall of Fame. If he can't keep his head in the game, he'll be gone before you know it.

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Side note: I have to mention the Jaguars used back to back picks (same round anyway) on RB's Ray Rice and Jamaal Charles. They already have possible HOFer Fred Jackson and dynamic back Maurice Jones-Drew... why spend 2 3rd round picks on more running backs? I get it Fred won't be around much longer, but both picks on backs? I'll be curious to see what their depth chart looks like on week 1.

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The Chicago Bears 2008 Draft Results

Chicago Bears 2008 Draft
Pick	Player	College	Pos	Ht	Wt
1-14	Dominique Cromartie	Tennessee State	DB
2-45	James Hardy	Indiana	WR
2-54	Malcolm Kelly	Oklahoma	WR
3-70	Kevin Smith	UCF	RB
4-107	Frank Okam	Texas	DT
4-115	Tony Hills	Texas	LT
5-146	Jacob Tamme	Kentucky	TE
7-208	Lex Houston	Arizona	DE
UDFA	Marcus Monk	Arkansas	WR
UDFA	Alex Harper	St. Augustine's	DE
UDFA	David Roach	TCU	FS
UDFA	Barry Booker	Virginia Tech	DT
UDFA	Dan Michaels	Florida	C

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Draft recap and reactions:

1. Dominique Cromartie. The younger brother of Chargers CB Antonio, Dominique is taller than most corners (6' 1") but blazing fast. Able to return kicks as well as cover, he's known to be a risk-taker in coverage, which could be problematic if he doesn't get up to speed quickly. Hopefully he'll be able to make our nickel corner position dangerous and unpredictable.

2. James Hardy. James is a tall (6' 6") receiver we think is going to give us an edge in the run game and in the red zone. Currently, our projected starters are Bradley and Williamson, but both are 6' 1", and our other wideouts (Hester and Davis) are bother 5' 9" speedsters. Hardy adds a physical dimension we desperately need.

3. Malcolm Kelly. Also 6' 6", Malcolm Kelly is more of a rebounder than a physical receiver, but when he's on the field with Hardy, there aren't a pair of corners who can handle both wideouts leaping ability. We traded starting LT John Tait to get this pick, leaving only Roberto Garza as the remaining starter on the O-line from a year ago, and there is a youth movement behind him already. Giving up a starting, All-Pro tackle for a receiver is a huge risk, but we think Kelly could be a key piece of the puzzle and able to give us an edge no other team will be able to replicate.

4. Kevin Smith. Our GM tried for 3 picks to get us to take a running back, apparently he's not as convinced Benson is ready to step up. Wiliams is 30, and Wolfe was amazingly productive in college, but pretty small by NFL standards, and looks to be a receiver/returner. Kevin is a nasty runner who is going to push everyone to be better, or push them out of the way.

5. Frank Okam. A behemoth from Texas, Okam will command double teams, which will hopefully free up Pro Bowler Tommie Harris to be even more disruptive. Banged up in college, if Okam can stay healthy, he's going to make an immeasurable difference on our defensive line.

6. Tony Hills. Okam's teammate at Texas, Hills is going to have a chance to learn both tackle positions as he competes with Winston Justice to be the next man up in the rotation. This pick was made to help our line, as well as find out what we really have in Justice.

7. Jacob Tamme. Jacob is more a receiver than blocker, but hopefully he'll evolve into a strong counterpart to Olsen. We need a blocking tight end, but we'll have to look at the cast-offs for one.

8. Lex Houston. Lex spent 2 years in Arizona, after 2 years at a JUCO. Off the field problems derailed much of his college career, but he was a force when he was on the field. With Alex Brown and Israel Idonije gone; and Dan Bazuin a question mark to return from a devastating injury, Lex has a golden chance to emerge as a valuable player for the Bears.

9. Marcus Monk. A 3rd WR who is 6' 6", Monk couldn't seem to live up to his physical talents at Arkansas. Of course, with a three-headed monster at running back (McFadden, Jones and Hillis) in front of him, no receiver was really needed too much for the Razorbacks. Still, he has a basketball player's hands, and if he, Kelly and Hardy can develop, the Bears will have a unique three-headed monster of their own in the red zone.

10. Alex Harper. A productive rusher at tiny St. Augustine's, Harper started his career in his homeland of Canada, but the desire to play NFL football led him to the States, and the only college willing to give him a scholarship: St. Augustine's. If his game can translate from Canada and St. Augustine's to the NFL, being a part of the Bears d-line will be a dream come true for Harper.

11. David Roach. TCU is well known for it's tough defense, and Roach was a key part of that defense before his attitude and a knee injury kept him in a backup role. Now that he's graduated, he's put enough on tape to be worth a flier on, but not enough to know if he's ever going to develop.

12. Barry Booker. Barry was a forgotten man at Virginia Tech, and people said his game was elevated because of the talent around him. (DE Chris Ellis and DT Carlton Powell were both drafted ahead of him.) He has a strong motor, and good physical tools. Time will tell if he has what it takes to stick on a roster.

13. Dan Michaels. Dan was the starting center for the Gators National Championship team, and a 2-time All SEC player runner up. Despite his size, he plays smaller and stiffer than you would think, and hopefully the trainers at the NFL level can get him to reach the next level.


Side notes:

The GM called for us to draft Jacob Tamme. We did, and got an approval of 28%. OUCH. Our best-received pick was Frank Okam, with an 89% approval. (they wanted us to take DeMario Pressley, but I wanted a big, strong mountain there to play off Harris, and Pressley is smaller and more of a rusher, IMO.) Also, we took Hardy, which only had a 51% rating, and then next guy we took was Kelly - who got us a 73% approval. Go figure.

[bodiefrog]

Re: Iron Mike returns to the windy city!

Love this so far. Can't wait for the next update.

[Aurabolt127]

Re: Iron Mike returns to the windy city!

Thanks! Should be getting the updates from the preseason up here today and get ready to get slaughtered by the Indianapolis Colts in week one!