2008 NFL Mock Draft: Chicago Bears

Previous Five Picks

9) NFL-Cincinnati_Bengals-2008_NFL_Mock_Draft_Cincinnati_Bengals-150208">Cincinnati Bengals: Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC 

10) NFL-New_Orleans_<a%20href=">Saints-2008_NFL_Mock_Draft_New_Orleans_Saints-170208">New Orleans Saints: Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy 

11) Bills-2008_NFL_Mock_Draft_Buffalo_Bills-180208">Buffalo Bills: Dan Connor, LB, Penn State 

12) Broncos-2008_NFL_Mock_Draft_Denver_Broncos-220208">Denver Broncos: Kenny Phillips, S, Miami  

13) Panthers-2008_NFL_Mock_Draft_Carolina_Panthers-230208">Carolina Panthers: Calais Campbell, DE, Miami

Click here to see the entire Mock Draft. 

The Longest Mock Draft in NFL History Continues...

A few quick personal notes before I get to the Chicago Bears’ pick.

1) My wife is one of the best female candlepin bowlers in the world. Candlepin bowling, if you’re not familiar with it, is big in New England and Canada.

It’s like 10-pin except there are smaller pins, smaller balls (with no holes), and you throw three balls per box (unless you mark).   

There’s a TV show on Comcast CN8 in New England called 30K Candlepin Challenge that typically features the best male candlepin bowlers in the world.

This year they decided to do a female season, and my wife made it on TV.

Not sure when it’s going to air, but the taping is this Sunday. Wish her luck!

2) I screwed up my arm back in December (did something to a ligament, I’d tell you what, but I don’t pay attention when people start using big words). 

I’m heading back to see the Orthopedic on Friday to find out if it’s getting better and if I can start some serious rehab (which is different than the not-so-serious rehab I’ve been going to twice a week for the last month).

So wish ME luck as well!

Pick No. 14: Chicago Bears

2006 was a magical season for the Chicago Bears. They featured the best defense and special teams in the NFL, as well as an offense that could grind out yards and kill you deep on occasion. This helped them to make a Cinderella run to the Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl didn’t work out the way they wanted, but the future looked bright in the windy city.

Then 2007 came and the wheels fell off.

Rex Grossman went from a Chicago hero in 2006 to a guy nobody wanted midway through 2007. It got so bad that he was actually benched for former Denver Bronco great Brian Griese. 

To be a successful quarterback in the NFL you need to do one of two things: lead the offense effectively or just stay out of the way.

Rex Grossman spent the entire 2007 season getting in the way. 

That said, re-signing him for one season was good for a number of reasons. 

1) Vinny Testaverde is retired and no longer available.

2) Drew Bledsoe is retired and no longer available.

3) Brian Griese is absolutely horrifying.

4) He’s as good of a one-year stop-gap as you’re going to find this offseason.

You can’t win in the NFL without a franchise quarterback.

There’s a reason why Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are in the playoffs every season.  You cannot win games consistently in the NFL in spite of your quarterback—you win games consistently in the NFL because of your quarterback.

The Bears have other problems, but the one they desperately need to address early in the draft is the quarterback position.

The Pick: Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville

To me, Brian Brohm has Chad Pennington written all over him. But for the Bears, would a young Chad Pennington really be all that bad?

The biggest question mark about Brohm is durability, which I’m sure is not exactly music to the ears of Bears fans. Most scouts believe that if he can stay on the field he has what it takes to be an above average NFL quarterback. The argument seems to be solid starter vs. potential pro-bowler.

Given everything Bears fans have dealt with over the last few years at the quarterback position, that’s not too bad an argument to have.

Let him sit behind Rex for one season, learn how not to play the position in the NFL, and get into an NFL fitness program to help improve his durability.  

Then he can slide in as the new savior in 2009.

I’m SeanMC.

SeanMC is a Columnist at Bleacher Report. His archive can be found here. You can find everything he writes, including articles for other publications, here.

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