Bears Look To Young Talent For 2008

The Bears have been awfully quiet in Free Agency despite over $30 million in cap room. However, Bears GM Jerry Angelo feels that building a championship team needs to be done through the draft. Entering the 2008 NFL Draft, here are the Bears' needs:

1. OT—Fred Miller was cut and there is not sufficient depth at RT. The Bears could also toy with the idea of swinging Tait over to RT and drafting a new LT.

2. QB—There is no stability at the quarterback position. Grossman is on a one-year deal and Orton is probably a career backup and spot starter. The Bears would love to bring in a young talent, but it looks improbable in round one because of the value and the guaranteed money.

3. HB—Benson convinced us that he needs another back to complement him. Adrian Peterson is a great special teamer but runs similar to Benson, and Garrett Wolfe lacks the size to be in the rotation.

4. S—Mike Brown is coming off a torn ACL and he could be gone after this season. Archuleta has been disappointing, and Danieal Manning cannot tackle. The team likes Kevin Payne and feels like he can develop into a starter, but they need a player who can push for playing time.

5. DT—Tommie Harris is one of the best DT in the game and he's in no danger of losing his job. However, the position next to him is wide open. Dusty Dvoracek has been banged up, Anthony Adams is a rotational tackle, and the Bears used a plethora of tackles last year due to injury. Fresh legs with a clean injury history would be a great late-round addition.

6. OG—Ruben Brown will not be retained by the team, leaving a gaping hole at LG. The spot could be up for grabs by either Terrence Metcalf or Josh Beekman, but the point is that depth is certainly needed. Also, Roberto Garza is not guaranteed his starting spot at RG for next season.

7. WR—The Bears lost Bernard Berrian and Mushin Muhammad, but they also signed Brandon Lloyd and Marty Booker. They do not have a true number one, but picking up a tall, physical receiver with soft hands who could develop would be a great idea.

THE 2008 NFL DRAFT

1. Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt—A smart, physical tackle who has excellent size and plays with great technique. Great in pass pro, still working in run game. Great feet and durable throughout career.

2. Chad Henne, QB, Michigan - A smart, strong-armed veteran with tons of game experience. Shows great touch on all throws and has potential to be a big-time starter. Not very mobile and cannot buy second chances with athleticism. Strictly pocket passer. Brian Brohm is a possibility.

3a. Mike Hart, HB, Michigan—One of my favorite players in the NCAA. Tough, strong, and a true leader. Has the heart of the lion. Will not go down on initial contact. Doesn't have great size or the long speed, but will get you the tough yards.

3b. Joshua Barrett, S, Arizona State—Blew up the Combine and could go higher than this, but I would be very happy if he feel to the Bears. Is a great tackler and shows very good instincts, but is his straight-line speed overrated?

4. Drew Radovich, OG, USC—Very good size and couples that with experience and a good motor. Not very athletic and needs to improve on the run game, but could turn  into a very good starter.

5. Nicholas Hayden, DT, Wisconsin—Displays good size (6'4", 295 lbs.), motor, and ability to anchor against the run, which could make him an interesting two-down tackle.

6. J Leman, ILB, Illinois—A hometown product who really came into his own this past year. He is instinctive, tough, a great leader, and fundamentally sound, but may not be athletically talented enough to make it in the NFL.

7. Micah Rucker, WR, Eastern Illinois—Another hometown product who had a very good senior year and was extremely productive. 6'5", 219 pounds, Rucker looked good at his Pro Day (4.52 40-yard dash, 39" vertical jump, 11'3" long jump, 4.57 short shuttle, 6.90 cone drill, and 20 reps in the bench press) and has an opportunity to make a roster in the NFL.