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I provide you with my pick by pick breakdown and grade of the Bears 2008 draft. I have initially stated that I found the draft underwhelming, but that by no means makes it a bad draft. While it appears to be a draft that lacks in explosiveness, Angelo seemed to make up for that by landing a lot of quality players who should find ways to contribute.

Pick 1 (Round 1): C. Williams LT, Vanderbilt
The start of the first round really could not have worked out better for the Bears. Williams pretty much fell into their laps, and it’s an incredible blessing considering some scouts had him ranked as the #2 LT in this draft class. Williams should proved a huge boost the line by sliding in at LT and allowing a health John Tait to take over at RT. He’s got a strong track record against SEC opponents and has outstanding size and lateral movement. Ideally he fits here for many years to come
Grade: A

Pick 2 (Round 2): M. Forte RB, Tulane
The selection of Forte here has been criticized because many feel he is too similar to Benson. Both are larger backs who run with power and lack elite top end speed, but that is where the parallels seem to end. The biggest difference between the two is Forte’s ability to locate the hole. He’s a one cut runner who identifies the hole and then hits it hard. Additionally he has solid hands and is a solid blocker who can stay in on 3^rd down. I really think Angelo see’s Forte as a bigger version of Thomas Jones and if Forte possess enough quickness to get around the edge (his biggest question mark) than I think this is a steal.
Grade: B

Pick 3 (Round 3): E. Bennett WR, Vanderbilt
A smart, quick route runner. He’s been compared by Mel Kiper to Hines Ward, but I wonder if that’s really a good thing. At 5’11”/209 he seems to have the necessary strength but there are concerns about his ability to get separation. His 4.48 40 seems to indicate good enough top end speed, but he seems to lack the quickness and second gear to make plays in space. That aside Bennett was one of the most productive WR in SEC history and should fit right into the slot position.

Grade: C+

Pick 4 (Round 3): M. Harrison DT, Arkansas
I am really not sure how to approach this pick. On one end Harrison is a lighting quick pass rusher, huge but not really powerful and seemingly a perfect back up and insurance policy for Tommie Harris. On the other hand ha has already had serious drug related problems with law. So I wonder if this guy is Dustin Dvoracek or Tank Johnson. If he’s Tank then it’s a waste of a 3^rd round pick who’s never going to make a serious impact. If he’s Dustin then he’s a steal who can spell Harris and potentially provide long-term security at the 3-technique.

Grade: C

Pick 5 (Round 4): C. Steltz S, LSU
The Bears need at S was pretty evident all of last year and I think Steltz can come in and help address that need. He’s probably destined to be a ST standout for now, but he plays with great instincts and an extremely high motor. Most importantly, while he doesn’t have great speed he is very adept in run support and is supposed to be an excellent blitzer. Those are two qualities that were desperately missing from the position after Mike Brown went down in the opener. Who knows, we could see him paired with Danieal Manning sooner than we think.

Grade: A

Pick 6 (Round 5): Z. Bowman CB, Nebraska
In the pass happy NFL landing guys like Bowman and Trumaine McBride are esstential for keeping up on defense. Bowman is a freakish athlete at CB, great blend of size (6’0”) and speed (4.38). There is a lot to be concerned about with his history of knee injuries. Also Bowman transferred to Nebraska out of junior college so his experience against high level competition is limited. For now his athleticism should be on full display on ST, in the future he could combine with McBride, Tillman, and Vasher to make amongst the best CB groups in the NFL.
Grade: B+

Pick 7 (Round 5): K. Davis TE, Michigan State
Huge kid at 6’6”/262 and he runs pretty well for that size at 4.6. Both of those should make him an immediate redzone threat. However, despite that size Davis has yet to develop into a solid blocker and that will be an important evolution as he tries to make the roster as a 3^rd TE. Davis was also flagged for character problems because of misdemeanor assault charges in ’06 and he was suspended by MSU for 4 games. In a best case scenario he’s Clark’s eventual replacement, but this pick just strikes me as more potential than actual
Grade: C+

Pick 8 (Round 7): E. Baldwin DE, Michigan State
Good rush end. He only played 2 years at MSU showing promise, had good combine, and is the Spartan single season sack record holder. He’s really a typical Bears type end who likes to get around the end and make plays in the backfield. However, holding up against the run is the issue and I don’t really know where he fits on the roster. The Bears already have 3 DE (Brown, Ogunleye, Anderson) last year’s 2^nd round pick (Bazuin) and the flexibility to move Idonije to the outside. I don’t see them carrying 5 DE so if he’s going to make the team someone has to get cut, that’s why I’m down on this pick
Grade: D

Pick 9 (Round 7): C. Adams OG, Georgia
The Bears continue to show their value of big school and conference players late in the draft with Adams. The Bears desperately need depth at G so it should give Adams a decent chance of making the team. Has ideal size at 6’4”/320, but has been tagged with the dreaded “doesn’t play as big as his size suggests”. He’s about as good as you can do this late and hopefully some work at the NFL level can increase his punch and drive.
Grade: B-

Pick 10 (Round 7): J. LaRocque OLB, Oregon St
Very typical undersized OLB prospect for the Bears. Has a reputation of being instinctive and productive despite his athletic deficiencies. Really doesn’t have much of a chance to make the team except as a ST player, so his effort will be the key to his success on the next level.
Grade: C-

Pick 11 (Round 7): K. Barton OT, Ohio St
Barton defines the lunch pail mentality when it comes to offensive linemen. Scouts Inc had this to say, “Barton is very tough and experienced. He almost always finds a way to get the job done. The problem is that his athletic deficiencies are going to show up at the NFL level.” He is stiff and slow right now which probably means he’ll eventually have to move inside, but there is always room for guys who work hard.
Grade: C

Pick 12 (Round 7): M. Monk WR, Arkansas
Monk intrigues me more than any other Bears pick outside of Forte. He would’ve been a much higher pick 2 years ago, but a knee injury derailed his senior season. He sort of reminds me (at least in body size) of a Plaxico Burress, and really has decent speed. The questions will be his explosiveness coming off the injury and if he can create separation. I really think he’s going to make the team and could be a big surprise this year.
Grade: B+

The Bears again added a lot of depth and might have found some contributors in the late rounds. Williams was pretty much a consensus pick so there are no problems there. However, a lot will come down to the impact Bennett and Forte make. Both have enough warning signs that you could see them being non-factors, but if each does make a big impact at his position than this was a great draft. The biggest problem was the lack of obvious “big play” potential players picked up here, but personally I’ll be happy if Forte can just grind out about 4 yards per carry.

Overall Grade: B-

“Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo indicated Tuesday that the team won’t budge off its contract offer to linebacker Brian Urlacher, who has been skipping the team’s voluntary workouts while seeking a contract extension….

According to Chicago-area published reports, Urlacher, currently signed through 2011, has been offered a one-year extension with a $5 million guaranteed signing bonus and an extra $1 million per year if he plays 85 percent of the team’s defensive snaps.”

Full article here.

Angelo seems to have the right view of things here. It’s impossible to give everyone on the team everything they want. The Bears gave Urlacher what he wanted 5 years ago and they can’t simply come to his beck and call whenever he’s unhappy. By the same token I think they’ve made an incredibly reasonable offer (if the report is correct) and if that’s not good enough for Urlacher he is going to get killed in a very ugly PR battle.

Given the disastrous 2007-2008 season that has been followed up by an equally uninspiring free agency period has turned many Bears fans against Jerry Angelo. Just a little over a year ago most Bears fans wanted Angelo to lead this team forever. But as the team has struggled Angelo’s difficulties with 1^st round picks and refusal to bring in the flashy free agents have started to get under people’s skin. And yet… maybe we shouldn’t run him out of town just yet.

The recent string of new Cornerback deals got me thinking. It was not long ago that most people, myself included, figured either Charles Tillman or Nathan Vasher was gone. Since they are both Pro Bowl caliber players their new deals would likely break the bank. Additionally Angelo’s track record from Tampa suggested he never put too much money into one position. Then just before the start of the year both got new deals locking them up as a duo for the next 5 years. As smart of a deal as that may have seemed then it only seems smarter now. Here’s a rundown of this off-seasons big contracts at the Cornerback position:

• Marcus Trufant – 6 years/$50.2million ($8.3mil/yr)
• Asante Samules – 5 years/$57million ($11.4mil/yr)
• DeAngelo Hall – 7 years/$70million ($10mil/yr)

Now I think it’s fair to say that none of those players are markedly better than Tillman or Vasher if they are better at all and yet Tillman signed a deal for 6years/$41.5million and Vasher for 5years/$28million. I find it hard to believe that there is a $42mil difference between Hall and Vasher. And for all Hall’s flash Vasher actually as the same number of INTs (17) over the last 4 years even with missing most of this past season. Add in the recent Briggs deal and maybe this Angelo guy isn’t all bad.

What’s the mark of a team with no discipline? When people sit around, and throw words like “undisciplined,” it’s what the Bulls have been producing in the 4th quarter of games is the definition of the matter.

When I first talked about the Bulls, and the trade, I did have the belief that they would be able to make the playoffs. Now, there are some games left, but a team that just gives games away doesn’t make playoffs in any sport.

At first, this dismantling of the Bulls every 4th quarter looked as if it was just a gelling process. But after further review, it may be more than that. Bad shots, bad rotations, bad timeouts, bad defense, turnovers, and the list doesn’t just stop there.

Scott Skiles is sitting at home, perhaps laughing at Jim Boylan. Who at the moment, has no idea what to do in the 4th quarter of these games. Scott Skiles at least would have the presence needed to calm a team down, draw up a good play and get points when he needed to. He also would not hesitate to bring in someone who is not necessarily going to light things up but may take care of the ball at least i.e. Chris Duhon.

Jim Boylan needs to find a way to calm his team down. They are playing great games up until the 4th quarter. The smallest changes like putting in a Chris Duhon to play some defense and run the offense. The games are becoming few and the lead on the Bulls for the playoffs is becoming larger.

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is a baseball man. He played the game for numerous years, and now is a 2 time World Champion coach. But this season will not be an easy one for Ozzie. Kenny Williams has spoke openly about winning it all, and the AL Central is no cupcake division, which is only one concern.

The real problem for Ozzie is who to start. Who is the #5 pitcher in the rotation, and who in the world is going to play 2nd base?

The 1st decision is more of a problem with no solution, the Sox don’t really have any viable options. So far it’s Buehrle, Vazquez, Contreras, and Danks. But who after that? We traded Gio Gonzalez in the Nick Swisher deal, and now we are left with less than superior choices. Gavin Floyd,  the 1st choice, with a less than superior 6.30 career ERA and a 1.640 WHIP. Granted, Gavin is only 24 years old, but for a team talking World Series he is not the answer I was looking for. The dark horse in this race is Lance Broadway, who has almost no major league experience. The free agent (FA) market is also, for the most part, bare. With names like Kyle Lohse, who had a very average career in Minnesota, and Freddy Garcia who is far from his 2005 form. After that, there are the forgettable (Russ Ortiz, Rodrigo Lopez) and the not so well aged (David Wells, Jered Weaver). Looks like the answer to this problem is, for now at least, a question mark.

Now onto more positive decisions. With the acquisition of multi Gold Glove winner Orlando Cabrera from the Angels, Juan Uribe has lost his position at SS, but in the minors and for the Rockies, he played some time at 2nd base. Another candidate is Danny Richar, a young player who showed flashes of brilliance in last year’s lost season, but has missed some playing time due to “visa problems”. He has more speed than Uribe, but isn’t as good defensively. Another likely candidate is Alexei Ramirez, the newly acquired Cuban exile. He hasn’t had any major league experience outside of Spring Training, but he has been tearing it up so far (.471 batting average) and performed very well in Cuban leagues and international play, even against major league talent such in the Athens 2004 Olympic games and the World Baseball Classic, and Alexei has also earned rave reviews from Sox pitcher Jose Contreras: “He’s a very good player, as you have heard. He can do a lot of things. He can throw, he can run. He can hit for power and average. That’s what I saw back then. That’s what everyone was talking about throughout these years, that he was one of the best players on the national team.”. We will see how it turns out, but for now it is a very interesting show in the middle infield at 35th and Shields.

The final decisions will be up to Ozzie, and they are both tough ones indeed. One has tremendous options, and the other virtually none at all. But fans such as myself have been optimistic so far, and I have no reason to stop.