BULLITT

Sooie! Smith heads to Arkansas to see running backs
Bears investigating McFadden, Jones

March 25, 2008
Recommend (8)

BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com

Pursuit of competition for Cedric Benson leads to Fayetteville, Ark., for Lovie Smith.

The Bears coach had lunch with Arkansas running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones on Monday, a source told the Sun-Times.
Smith and Southwest area scout Chris Ballard will attend the Razorbacks pro day today, an intriguing development for a franchise many figure to be in pursuit of an offensive tackle with the 14th pick of the first round.

Bears coach Lovie Smith had lunch with Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, according to sources.
(AP)


RELATED STORIES
Inside the Bears: Updates from our blog

If the Bears' interest in either one or both is genuine, it could signal Benson's rehabilitation from a fractured left ankle is behind and the possibility would then
exist he will be phased out of the team's plans. Benson had the walking cast he was in removed Dec. 31, and general manager Jerry Angelo said following the season
he still believed the fourth pick from the 2005 draft could be a featured back.
But actions speak louder than words, and if the Bears were to maneuver up in the first round of the draft to grab McFadden, or down to snare Jones, it would likely signal the end of the road for Benson.

``Darren is the best player in the draft,'' Chicago-based agent Ian Greengross said late Monday when asked about the lunch.
``Every team is interested in him. Whether or not it is reality for the Bears will depend on what happens on draft day. The Bears are well aware he will not be there when they pick at 14.''

The Bears would probably need to deal their way into the top six to have a chance to select McFadden, who ran a 4.27-second, 40-yard dash at the combine and will do some work today along with positional drills.
Interestingly, Jones is represented by Eugene Parker, who also has Benson as a client.
Right now, Jones is considered a late first-round possibility or a selection for the top of the second round.

McFadden's blazing 40 time was one of the hot topics at the combine and led many to reference the 4.12 time Bo Jackson posted.
Teams taking a hard look at McFadden, who will have to answer character questions for off-field incidents, are pointing to the impact Adrian Peterson
made for Minnesota last season after the Vikings nabbed him with the seventh pick.
Peterson dropped because of injury concerns. No one wants to miss the next Peterson, and McFadden might not make it past Oakland, which owns the fourth pick.

In the shadow of McFadden, Jones rushed for 1,117 yards last season with 11 touchdowns and opted to forego his senior year. At 5-10, 207 pounds, he's smaller than (6-1, 211).
Jones clocked a 4.44 40 at the combine.

Benson had a plate inserted with screws to stabilize his ankle where it was fractured Nov. 25 against Denver.
He vowed following the season to return 100 percent, and Angelo has said repeatedly it looked like his prized back was turning the corner just before the injury.

``I don't feel like I need to prove anything,'' Benson said Dec. 31.
``I know everybody's looking for the big season, and we were coming on strong at the end and still had quite a few games where we would have had good numbers. I just got sidelined.''

Benson's season finished 27 yards shy of triggering $1.73 million in bonus money. The Bears are already into him for nearly $13.8 million, which is one reason why it's difficult to imagine
Angelo not seeing if he can get some return on his investment. But Angelo promised competition and McFadden or Jones would both bring that.

Smith traveled to Boise, Idaho, earlier this month to watch offensive tackle Ryan Clady work out.
Smith and running backs coach Tim Spencer are scheduled to travel to New Orleans to visit and work out Tulane running back Matt Forte April 3. Forte is considered a potential third-round pick.




The views expressed in these blog posts are those of the author and not of the Chicago Sun-Times.

BULLITT

Cedric -the-non-performing-non-entertainer, is a bust. At best he performs like a fourth rounder, certainly not a fourth pick of a first round.
Still, if the Bears can't land a stud OT, they should trade out their pick. The line is the foundation of success, and getting a skill player to play with the line we have now, is not
only stupid and short-sighted, but proof that this organization has no real understanding about what it takes to win in the league consistently.
As far as getting a return out of their investment in Benson - that shipped has sailed. At best he's a change of pace rb, not a franchise player, and that makes him over-the-****ing-hill-priced.

Turner shouldn't be given the benefit of the doubt any longer. If this team drastically under-performs, yet again, on offense, then he should be gone next year, and the next OC not handcuffed
to the miserable cupboard of *ahem* talent, that he helped bring in.

Build the line this year, maybe take a look at Stewart in the second, but unless the Bears can get McFadden in the first, stick to the trenches.

BU54

Yes the age old problem of Bears management. The root cause of our woes for the last 20-30 years.

Sounds like some suckin up here.

__________________
Bears always have and always will need a quarterback!! But not a MLB.


10-7-07 Bears 27,Packers 20
12-23-07 Bears 35, Packers 7
Then Brett Favre Retired...