Chicago Bears: Running Back Debacle

The kind of a debacle that the actions of Cedric Benson and Jerry Angelo created at the running back position would get most people fired.

It all started last offseason when the Chicago Bears' GM Jerry Angelo decided that Cedric Benson would get the shot to be the number one running back. In deciding this, he traded Thomas Jones for a second round draft pick, basically giving him away. 

Angelo decided that his number four overall pick was a can't miss guy, even though he had barely proved himself thus far as a number two.  So he sent the Bears' leading rusher of three years over to the Jets, just to please his ego.

Then the 2007 regular season happened.  Benson struggled as the number one back averaging just 3.4 yards a carry while scoring only four touchdowns in 11 games.  He also sat the final five games with an injury, which left most Bears' fans feeling that he didn't have the heart to be a Bear. 

His backup Adrian Peterson, although carrying about the same statistics on the ground, was a considerably better receiver out of the backfield and presented a much better option for the Bears' lackluster offense.

Next came the NFL Draft. In Jerry Angelo's infinite wisdom, he passed up QBs Brian Brohm and Chad Henne in the second round so that he could draft RB Matt Forte out of Tulane. 

Now I'm not knocking Matt Forte, he may turn out to be a good back, but there were plenty of other better running backs available on the board. Such as Ray Rice of Rutgers, Kevin Smith of Central Florida, and Steve Slaton of West Virginia. 

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Jerry could have taken one of the QBs in the second round and would have still gotten Forte in the third round. Just a guess though.

Drinking was the cause of the next problem for the Bears. When Cedric Benson got himself charged with drunken boating and resisting arrest, he placed himself in the spotlight. The incident infuriated Bears' fans and management with him even more. 

Then, as if that wasn't enough, he decided that within a month of the incident that he would break curfew and go out drinking and driving. This was basically the last straw for the Bears, ultimately bringing about Benson's subsequent release.

So Jerry Angelo has left coach Lovie Smith with Adrian Peterson, an undersized career backup and rookie Matt Forte to battle for the Bears' starting running back job.  Throw in the fact that Adrian Peterson will be out until the start of training camp and anyone can see that the Bears need some help at the position. 

Why not look at some veteran talent?

I propose that Angelo can fix this situation that he caused of his own will, and save his job. What he needs to do is go out and get a veteran running back to help these guys out.  If this veteran could be a third down or goalline back, he would especially help out the team.  It wouldn't hurt if the veteran had some playoff experience as well. 

Well, there is one such player on the free agency list and that is Shaun Alexander.  He has suffered from injuries the past few seasons, but why not give him a chance?  He'll only be turning 31 this season and probably still has a few years left to give, that is, until Forte or a future replacement is ready to go.

So Jerry, just take a look at Shaun Alexander and try to fix this debacle that you helped to cause last offseason when you traded away Thomas Jones, please.